Private firms on course to net £9bn of NHS contracts
Circle Healthcare, Bupa, Virgin Care and Care UK among big winners since enforced tendering of services introduced
Private health firms are on course to win more than £9bn of NHS contracts to look after patients as a result of the coalition’s ramping up of competition in the health service, research shows.
Analysis by the NHS Support Federation, an independent campaign group, reveals that profit-driven companies such as Bupa, Virgin Care and Care UK have so far won a total of 131 contracts worth a combined £2.6bn to provide NHS services since the Health and Social Care Act came into force in April 2013.