MPs give independent treatment centres a poor report

doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7561.215

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Andrew Cole

London

The government's attempt to boost healthcare capacity by establishing a network of independent sector treatment centres offers no clear advantages over doing the same work in the NHS. This is the conclusion of the influential House of Commons health select committee.

And the committee warns that if the £5bn (€7.3bn; $9.2bn) programme continues to be rolled out as planned it could destabilise some local trusts and result in the closure of a number of hospitals.

The first wave of independent sector treatment centres—private clinics that do a range of NHS elective procedures—was launched …