Private Healthcare LOVES The Tories

They really do. Here is the HealthInvestor Barometer the survey of private health providers. Look at the results for these questions:

Q: Which political party will do most to speed the recovery of the UK independent healthcare market?
A: Conservative 58%; Labour 10%; LibDem 2%

Q: Will the new government support the recovery of the UK independent healthcare market?
A: 64% agree/strongly agree

Q: Which political party will do most to expand the role of the private sector in the NHS?
A: Conservative 58%; Labour 8%; LibDem 2%

Q: Will the new government accelerate the expansion of the role of the private sector in the NHS?
A: Yes 86%; No 2%

Q: Is there a level playing field for providers to compete for primary care [GPs] contracts in the NHS?
A: Yes 14%; No 66% (see my post earlier today)

Q: Is there currently a fair market for secondary care providers [hospitals] to compete for NHS patients?
A: Yes 18%; No 69%

Q: Will budgetary pressures in the NHS boost demand for private care provision over the next two years?
A:Yes 79%; No 12%

The last question I quote above is the most important, the private sector expect the government to squeeze the NHS deliberately to force people to buy private healthcare. They say in the report:

"And our experts are almost unanimous in predicting that the looming real terms cut in the NHS budget will boost demand for private care provision for the next two years."

The interesting point is that the private providers do not believe in the talk of a "ring fence" and expect huge cuts in NHS funding. I agree with them, the "ring fence" will not survive the auntumn spending review.

More optimistically (for me) is that 75% think that the recession in private healthcare is not yet over (Yay! Let's hope it never does recover!) and that 55% think that the recovery will be 2013 or later. While the document does appear to be a glowing endorsement of the Conservatives there is this interesting comment:

"there is rumoured to be plenty of opposition in the Conservative ranks to the reforms so the vote could be a major test for the coalition whips"

I have always felt that the best way to fight Lansley's plans is to target the crucial 50+ grey vote in Tory areas. When they realise that these plans will affect them they will complain to their MP and that will force Lansley to re-think.