Context of Professional Practice Assignment 1 Guidelines 1000 words - Essay Example

The independent sector has assisted the NHS minimize waiting time and increase capacity (NHS Partners Network 2011; Royal College of Psychiatrists 1999). The introduction of patient choice and the creation of independent sector treatment centres in 2008 lead to minimization of waiting times to as low as the 18 week target. Despite its small share in the market, the independent sector in the UK has had a significant effect on the NHS. For instance, it has helped ensure that NHS preserves the quality while minimizing costs.

Debate concerning the independent sector indulgence in NHS regularly gives the image that the sector’s portion of activity in NHS is more crucial in scale than it is in the case (NHS Partners Network 2011). Presently, the independent sector indulgence (excluding mental health, dentistry, and GP practices) remains principally static at approximately 5% of the conventional clinical services. In elective care and diagnostic services, approximately 3.5% of the procedures are done by the independent sector.

In the fiscal year 2009/10, the independent sector’s share of supply in the mental health services was approximately £1.33 billion. This is a representation of 9% of all community and mental health hospital services (NHS Partners Network 2011). Independent providers have an important role in the quantity of other specialist areas of care. For instance, the independent hospice movement’s function in the end-of-life care sector. In the community and primary services, the independent sector offers close to 1.

5% of the care. The aforementioned figure does not include GP and dentistry practices. It is important to note that GP practices are privately owned small business and they conduct 98% of NHS general practice activities despite regarding themselves as a portion of the NHS. Study conducted recently indicates that there are close to 315 independent GP practices of the total 8,300 practices in England