UK's first Private Casualty Centre opens

 
The NHS may be improving, but there is another entrant into the private market that clearly thinks that it has some way to go in treating minor accidents and emergencies. "Casualty Plus" is a British company that has just set up a private casualty service at a new centre in Brentford in West London.

Anyone who does not like the idea of sitting for hours in the accident and emergency area of their local hospital and who is prepared to pay £29 can be seen straight away at the new centre. If there is a need for further tests or treatment there would be further charges, but because the clinic is not set up to deal with major trauma or illness the price list for casualty items has nothing above £100.

For the most part, the services that Casualty Plus are offering are not a threat to existing private hospitals, none of which offer an accident and emergency service. The concern for the new company, which has plans to expand nationwide, must be that if they are a success it may encourage the existing private hospitals to consider moving into this market. As such, they would have a level of back up facilities that a stand-alone facility could not match.

Casualty Plus' services are also largely outside the types of treatment that would be paid for by most private medical insurance policies. However, the unit intends to carry out some day surgery on a pre-booked basis. As the surgeons involved are, apparently, of NHS Consultant status, there should be no problem in getting insurers to reimburse for these operations provided that the patient has had a referral from their G.P.