Competition risks

Expanding the NHS market to extra competition creates 'significant risks' but should not be 'rejected out of hand', according to the NHS Confederation. Evidence submitted to a Parliamentary Labour Party health committee inquiry claims that opening up health markets to the private sector is a way of responding to a more consumer-driven society. However, transaction and marketing costs are likely to be higher and 'regulation and audit becomes absolutely crucial and will therefore cost more, ' the evidence warns.