Patients paying for treatment in West Suffolk have given £200,000 to one hospital, a Freedom of Information request has found.
The East Anglian Daily Times report:
HOSPITAL bosses have denied that well-heeled patients are being allowed to jump the queue for treatment after new figures revealed the trust received more than £200,000 from ‘self-funding’ individuals.
Under the system, which is available at many UK hospitals, patients who are not eligible for certain types of care can pay for a wide range of non-emergency treatments, from bone scans to the removal of urinary tract stones.
The treatment is described as self-funded rather than private, as the care provided is the same as on the NHS and is paid for by the individual rather than by insurance.