Justin Ash is one of the few Britons not worried about the lengthy queues for NHS care: “Record waiting lists have led more people to prioritise their health and choose independent providers.” So says the boss of Spire Healthcare, which owns 39 UK private hospitals. Its website is bolder, shouting “your health doesn’t have to wait”.
It does for those who can’t afford its bills — a Spire hip replacement in London costs “from £13,540”. But about 6.5 million people are waiting for routine NHS hospital treatments, and that’s a lot of potential private patients for Spire, which was founded with the acquisition of 25 ex-Bupa hospitals in 2007.
Turnover hit £1.1 billion last year, up a fifth on the previous year, in part
