Private Health Companies milking the NHS for £1bn for work they did not carry out

From the Sunday Express

PRIVATE health companies have milked the NHS for £1billion for operations and treatments that were never carried out.

The findings, gathered through Freedom of Information requests, have led to calls for an inquiry into flagship Independent Sector Treatment Centres.

Last night new Health Secretary Andy Burnham faced demands to disclose the Government’s deals.

The ISTCs were launched five years ago to allow private companies to help reduce NHS waiting lists.

Allyson Pollock, a finance expert who undertook the research, found some were under-used due to problems and other were unpopular because of their location.
She said: “There is nothing efficient about the NHS paying for thousands of operations that have not been carried out and the private sector pocketing the money.”