OFT Market Study
September 2011
The OFT have held two Round Table discussions with the profession and the hospitals, each of which was attended by other groups including the private medical insurers, patients' associations and various think tank and consumer groups. The thrust of the professional meeting was directed at "Asymmetries" in the healthcare market. The OFT is intent on defining the cost and quality benefits for subscribers (i.e. patients) when they are referred to a consultant. The professional representatives at the meeting were at pains to point out that the GP to consultant referral pathway and the particularly personal relationships between patients and doctors is not one that can be easily moulded into a simple economic transaction. Further discussions are taking place between the profession and the OFT.
January 2011
Following detailed submissions by FIPO and other professional organisations including the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland the OFT has announced a market study. There were other submissions about certain alleged restrictive practices from hospital groups such as Circle and from a newly founded patient group (Private Patient Forum).
FIPO was interviewed by the OFT in November 2010 as were one or two other groups and as a consequence the OFT announced its market study, details of which may be found at;
www.oft.gov.uk/OFTwork/markets-work/current/private-healthcare/
In January 2011 the OFT conducted a scoping exercise in order to set parameters of its study and FIPO along with others contributed to this. The final shape of the study is due to be announced and the OFT will commence its work in February 2011.