Explaining independent sector differences
Paterson Inquiry · Report of the Independent Inquiry into the Issues raised by Paterson · Issued 4 February 2020 · Addressed to: Department of Health and Social Care
Government responseDepartment of Health and Social Care: Accepted (Dec 2021)
DeliveryDepartment of Health and Social Care says in progress (Jul 2026)DHSC and NHS England say in progress (Feb 2026)DHSC states no delivery position (May 2024)
Recommendation, verbatim from the inquiry
●Inquiry recommendation
We recommend that the differences between how the care of patients in the independent sector is organised and the care of patients in the NHS is organised, is explained clearly to patients who choose to be treated privately, or whose treatment is provided in the independent sector but funded by the NHS. This should include clarification of how consultants are engaged at the private hospital, including the use of practising privileges and indemnity, and the arrangements for emergency provision and intensive care.
Paterson Inquiry, Report of the Independent Inquiry into the Issues raised by Paterson · 4 Feb 2020 Source PDF →
Published evidence summary
AI-generated evidence summary
The Inquiry recommended explaining differences between National Health Service (NHS) and private healthcare. In July 2026, Baroness Merron of the Department of Health and Social Care stated that it had published patient experience minimum standards for NHS-funded elective care waiting lists, promising an update in due course (Baroness Merron, Jul 2026). The Thirlwall Inquiry legal team found in February 2026 that the government had accepted the recommendation (The Thirlwall Inquiry legal team, Feb 2026). In commentary of September 2024, published in February 2026, the department and NHS England stated that drafting patient information had halted before the July 2024 general election, leaving ministerial agreement on how to proceed outstanding (DHSC and NHS England, Feb 2026).
Sources
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 12 Oct 2026.
About this summary
Government response
●Department of Health and Social Care · Accepted · 16 Dec 2021
Accept
The government will commission the production of independent information to make people aware of the ways in which their private care is organised differently from the arrangements in the NHS. Created in partnership with patients, families and carers, this will be published in 2022, and will include expert views on a range of relevant areas that are backed by data and evidence.
Extract from: Government response to the independent inquiry report into the issues raised by former surgeon Ian Paterson
Delivery
●Department of Health and Social Care says in progress · 17 Jul 2026
The Department recognises the importance of ensuring that patients have clear information about their care in the National Health Service, whether delivered by NHS providers or independent sector providers. We have recently published a set of patient experience minimum standards setting out our expectations of providers of NHS funded elective care while patients are on the waiting list.
We will provide an update on this commitment in due course.
From: Health Services: Private Sector (written question UIN HL1831)
●DHSC and NHS England say in progress · 27 Feb 2026
In January 2020, the Independent Healthcare Provider Network (IHPN) and the Patients Association jointly published a short video on what to expect from independent healthcare. IHPN has committed to produce more resources.
The Department of Health and Social Care plans to publish information on the difference in how care is organised between the NHS and Independent Sector. Given the breadth and complexity of the health and care system, this information will focus on hospital-based care in the first instance. Once published, DHSC will work with providers in both the NHS and the Independent Sector to signpost this information as part of the general information patients receive about their care.
The previous government agreed that this information would be drafted in house for publication. Prior to the election on 4 July 2024, the Patients Association had been contracted to support in drafting this information by testing knowledge and text with patients. Due to the pre-election period this work was halted at an early stage of its development. DHSC now intends to seek agreement from Ministers on how to proceed with this recommendation.
●DHSC states no delivery position · 15 May 2024
Action 1.3
In January 2020, the Independent Healthcare Provider Network (IHPN) and the Patients Association jointly published a short video on what to expect from independent healthcare. IHPN has committed to produce more resources. DHSC plans to publish information on the difference in how care is organised between the NHS and IS. Given the breadth and complexity of the health and care system, this information will focus on hospital-based care in the first instance. Once published, DHSC will work with providers in both the NHS and the IS to signpost this information as part of the general information patients receive about their care.
From: The Thirlwall Inquiry: Review of Implementation of Recommendations from Previous Inquiries into Healthcare Issues (version of 15 May 2024), The Department of Health and Social Care
Earlier statements on delivery (0)
●Department of Health and Social Care · 29 Apr 2026
The Government is committed to fulfilling the recommendation arising from the Paterson Inquiry. Information will be published in due course.
From: Health Services: Private Sector (written question UIN HL16569)
●Department of Health and Social Care · 15 Dec 2022
DHSC will work with stakeholders to produce and publish information on the difference in how care is organised between the NHS and independent sector, which is due to be delivered in 2023.
IHPN has produced, in conjunction with the Patients Association, an animation on what to expect from treatment in the independent sector.
IHPN has committed to produce resources for independent providers to share with patients on safety and governance in the sector.
What other bodies have found
●Thirlwall Inquiry legal team · 27 Feb 2026
Action 1.3:
Accepted by the government.
The government will commission the production of independent information to make people aware of the ways in which their private care is organised differently from the arrangements in the NHS. Created in partnership with patients, families and carers, this will be published in 2022, and will include expert views on a range of relevant areas that are backed by data and evidence.
Earlier findings (1)
●Thirlwall Inquiry legal team · 15 May 2024
Action 1.3:
Accepted by the government. The government will commission the production of independent information to make people aware of the ways in which their private care is organised differently from the arrangements in the NHS. Created in partnership with patients, families and carers, this will be published in 2022, and will include expert views on a range of relevant areas that are backed by data and evidence.
How this page is built
The recommendation and the government responses are verbatim from primary documents. Delivery statements and other bodies' findings are shown in their own words, each with its source. The summary is written by this site and labelled as such. The Index does not paraphrase sources or characterise intent; it records what has been published.