Competition for care: understanding the changing NHS market and the role of independent care providers

Encouraging competition between providers and promoting patient choice have formed key elements of reforms to improve quality and efficiency in the NHS over the past decade. A crucial aspect of these reforms has been to increase the role of the private providers.

For some elective procedures, such as hip replacements, private providers now deliver almost one in five operations funded by the NHS. However, the impacts of these reforms on patients, commissioners, and providers must be viewed in the context of increases in overall NHS funding. It is now essential that the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), NHS Trusts, and private providers understand how the market for NHS care operates and will evolve over the next few years, as they face up to a very different financial climate.

Organised jointly by the Nuffield Trust and the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), this high-level conference on competition and choice in health care will provide a forum for informed, non-partisan debate on the competition policy landscape. The conference forms part of a joint research programme from the Nuffield Trust and the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS): “Understanding competition and choice in the NHS”. We hope that the event will provide an opportunity for a range of stakeholders to share their questions and insights with us.

The event will be chaired by Anita Charlesworth, Chief Economist, Nuffield Trust and Paul Johnson, Director, Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).

Confirmed speakers include:

• Dr Neil Bacon (iWantGreatCare)
• Catherine Davies (Cooperation & Competition Panel and Monitor)
• Andrew Haldenby (Reform)
• John Hall (Monitor)
• Elaine Kelly (IFS)
• Bill McCarthy (NHS England)
• Dr Katherine Rake OBE (Healthwatch England)
• David Stout (Essex and Hertfordshire Commissioning Support)
• Karin Svanborg-Sjövall (TIMBRO)
• Matt Tee (NHS Confederation)
• David Worskett (NHS Partners Network)
• Tom Youldon (Monitor)

We will consider the implications of competition and choice in health care, questioning:

• How have patient flows around the healthcare system and to different types of providers responded to increases in choice?
• Has increased choice had a greater impact on patterns of referral?
• How have these changes impacted on the role of NHS and independent sector providers across the country?
• What effect have these changes had on inequalities in access to health care services?

Focusing on interactive discussion, we will also:

• Encourage you to enter into a dialogue which reviews our evidence and questions competition policy.
• Engage in thought-provoking and challenging debate to interrogate new insights on competition and choice.
• Explore what the implications might be for the Department of Health, NHS Commissioning Board and regulators.

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

This event is aimed at policy makers and leaders in policy, regulators, senior managers and chief executives in the NHS, commissioners, academics and others interested in competition policy. If you would like to register your interest, please contact the events team.