Conclusions

Looking at this year’s barometer results, it’s clear that independent providers continue to be positive about the prospects in all their key markets, with growth expected in domestic self-pay, PMI and NHS funded work. 

Confidence around PMI is particularly strong, and is reflected in recent research that the numbers of people with medical insurance is at record highs – something that is particularly being driven by the provision of employer based schemes. While overall positivity around self-pay has softened, we know this is very sector specific with continually high demand for primary and diagnostic services.

Sentiment around the NHS market remains mixed – while confidence around NHS funded work has softened somewhat and bucks the trend of the past 5 years (not unsurprisingly given the financial constraints it faces), providers still expect NHS funded services to show the largest growth over the next 12 months fuelled by confidence over the recently announced Partnership Agreement between NHSE, as well as the ongoing challenges that the NHS is facing.

A new challenge this year is undoubtedly the increasing uncertainty around the changing regulatory landscape, with widespread reforms taking place particularly at the CQC following Dr Penny Dash’s review. IHPN was a key part of the advisory group of this review, with ongoing close relations with the new CQC leadership to ensure that the sector is fully factored into any new regulatory regime.

Workforce challenges remain a perennial issue for all parts of the health service of course, but encouragingly providers in the sector are undoubtedly taking a proactive approach to this issue, with a big jump in the numbers of respondents committed to “growing their own” whether that’s through training or apprenticeships – something IHPN is committed to supporting them in.