NHS doubles amount its spending on private companies

Outsourcing healthcare refers to the transfer of services from the NHS to for-profit firms

NHS trusts in the South West have almost doubled the amount they are spending on private companies over the past three years.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by the GMB Union showed NHS trusts across the region pay at least £151m a year to private companies. The total annual spend has almost doubled since 2021/2022.

Figures also reveal that almost £64m has been spent on private ambulances in the region over the same time period. Speaking for GMB members, Mo Akbar has "demanded" an end to privatisation.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said they remain committed to working with the independent sector to "slash elective waiting lists and give patients more choice".

The outsourcing of NHS services threatens the financial viability and sustainability of the health service, union members claim.

This is because the independent sector providers are not obligated to train staff, which can undermine the quality and scope of training for doctors and other healthcare professionals, union members added.

'Brutal austerity'

Mr Akbar, an ambulance worker, argues it symbolises a decline in the quality of care for NHS patients, as private providers may prioritise profits over health.

"Workers and communities should have more say in how the NHS is run, ensuring decisions focus on patient care, not financial targets," he said.

"Health outcomes are tied to poverty, housing, and working conditions, so NHS rebuilding must also address these inequalities.

"We demand real terms restorative pay from the 14 years of brutal austerity.

"This Labour government will have a crisis of legitimacy if they choose a path of further privatisation of the NHS, which would put at risk the sense of the collectivism that is at the heart of our health service."

He added that only 11 South West trusts responded to the FOI - meaning the true figure being paid to the private sector could be far higher than £151m.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "Through our Plan for Change, we are making good progress having already cut the waiting list by 200,000 since this government took office and delivered 3.6 million extra appointments."