Hospital private patient income goes past £10m.
HEALTH & Social Care’s income from private patients reached £10.7m. last year – an increase of more than £2.2m. since 2018.
But the number of private patients has remained almost exactly the same – 1,663 in 2022 compared to 1,661 in 2018.
The increase in income outstripped the standard rate of inflation by about £700,000.
HSC said this was as a result of a combination of factors, including medical inflation, and that treatment costs were determined by the type and complexity of the care provided.
Mike Read, chairman of the pressure group Health Equality for All, said the number of private patients might have been expected to increase, given growth in waiting lists for many medical procedures.
‘For me, this speaks not just to theatre capacity issues, but also the poor private patient offering available in Guernsey,’ said Mr Read, whose group represents local people who have struggled to access timely health care, particularly drugs and treatments.
‘HSC freely acknowledges this and the fact it is under-utilised. Investment in a new private ward is a key part of phase two of modernising the Princess Elizabeth Hospital, and our ability to significantly improve the income stream from private patients.
‘Once we have a good private patient offering, HSC and the States could justifiably ask those with private health insurance to use it.’
Income from orthopaedic patients jumped from just over 20% of total income in 2018 to nearly 30% in 2022.
The island has experienced persistently long waiting lists for orthopaedic procedures recently.
Mr Read said the leap in income from private orthopaedic patients in 2022 ‘clearly reflects the backlog and increased need’.
In October, HSC opened de Havilland Ward, a nine-bed elective orthopaedic unit at the PEH, aimed at reducing the postponement of operations and moving more orthopaedic patients through the hospital. It has proved largely successful.
