The Federation of Independent Practitioner Organisations (FIPO) has welcomed the Office of Fair Trading's (OFT) decision to launch a study of the private healthcare market.
A statement released from the body that represents professional independent medical consultant associations and specialist groups greeted the OFT's announcement warmly and highlighted the need for medical insurers to be completely transparent with their coverage details.
"It is gratifying to see that the concerns expressed by our member organisations, over the impact that the implementation of fixed fee schedules and restrictive consultant networks will have on patient choice and continuity of care, are reflected in the scope of the study," it said.
"We look forward to the results of the study which we hope will benefit patients by ensuring that they maintain the right to choose both the consultant from whom they receive treatment and the hospital in which they are treated without discrimination and loss of reimbursement. Complete transparency from the insurers regarding their terms of cover is essential.
"FIPO will strive to ensure that choice remains firmly in the hands of the patient with care in the hands of the doctors," it added.
The body pledged to cooperate fully with the OFT and said it would provide any information which would assist it in carrying out a full and robust investigation.
The OFT market study into private healthcare, starting in Spring 2011, will examine the nature of competition in the market, and whether the market is fully competitive.
Preliminary research undertaken by the OFT and information received from participants across the sector have raised questions about whether the market is working well for private healthcare patients.
