Requirements for the collection and publication of data in the private sector

In April 2014 the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published the final report of its Private Healthcare Market Investigation, which found an adverse effect on competition arising from the 'lack of independent, publicly available performance and fee information' for private healthcare. The CMA prescribed specific remedies given legal force by the Private Healthcare Market Investigation Order 2014.

The Order requires every operator of a private healthcare facility that admits patients, including cosmetic surgery providers, to collect episode records in prescribed formats and other data to support a defined set of performance measures, and to supply that data to an approved Information Organisation, the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN). This will enable publication of performance measures by procedure, at both hospital and consultant level, by PHIN from mid 2018.

All surgeons should familiarise themselves with the obligations under the CMA's requirements in relation to information about performance, and submit their data in line with local governance arrangements. Surgeons can also ensure that the service provider at which they practice is engaged with PHIN and preparing to collect and submit data required. This will be essential to ensure that the data exists to enable individual surgeons to comply with the CMA requirements. The General Medical Council's (GMC) Good Medical Practice notes that you must take part in systems of quality assurance and quality improvement to promote patient safety.

Read more about the CMA requirements and PHIN.