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Since the takeover by the Trust, Sulis Hospitals’ private activity has significantly increased reflecting more patients choosing to go private.

The HSJ article goes on to explain exactly how the switch to NHS ownership has resulted in extra capacity for the trust given that Sulis Hospital (formerly Circle Bath Hospital) still needs to perform private work to run sustainably.

Simon Milner, director of Sulis Hospital, told HSJ that the hospital’s ability to perform lots of high-volume and low-complexity work had freed up space within RUH for more complex patients. Additionally, the long waits seen across England are prompting increasing numbers of patients to be treated privately, which also shortened the trust’s waiting list.

“Given the demands on the system at the moment, we took a conscious decision in conjunction with the clinical commissioning group to take our fair share of two-year waiters,”

“There will always be a private market and encouraging people to come to Sulis takes people off the waiting list if they go private, and it creates space for those people who can’t afford private healthcare to be seen as quickly as possible.

“Consultants love that the revenue generated for the hospital goes back to the NHS as they want to give something back.

“RUH has shown massive foresight in getting a fantastic site that can leverage off the private work that will always be there, keep consultants happy, and link up the good governance and clinical safety between the two sites. It’s gone beyond my expectations." Simon Milner explains.

Read the full HSJ article here.