02 August 2002
Ministers want overseas firms to complement the NHS and established private hospitals in England. In the short term, the NHS will use spare capacity in mainland Europe to reduce waiting lists.
The Department of Health played down the significance of a leaked report that praises a pilot scheme which has sent 200 patients for treatment in France and Germany since January. The department said building capacity in England was a higher priority.
The first overseas clinical teams arrived this week and will treat 2,000 patients in NHS hospitals in Tyneside and London.
Health Secretary Alan Milburn is also in talks with European health care providers about setting up new fast-track diagnosis and treatment centres. 'The biggest problem the NHS faces today is a shortage of key trained staff. To get waiting times down further still, alongside the investment we are making in home-grown health services, we are bringing in health professionals from overseas,' he said.
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