Healthcare Vital Signs

There has also been speculation that the NHS might be sold to the private sector. The Kings Fund comments that ‘following the Health and Social Care Act 2012, the number of contracts awarded to private providers increased’. This is certainly true, with a sharp rise in the quantity of contracts being made with firms such as Virgin Care and Care UK. Private firms were also widely used in the drafting of Sustainability and Transformational Plans, which the Independent Newspaper reports cost the government £17.6m in management consultant fees. the NHS is going through the biggest financial squeeze in its history. Another interesting point to consider when it comes to the NHS is the political landscape. The growing popularity of Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour party could completely change the direction of the healthcare market and result in a host of new issues. 23 | CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD