Spire Healthcare
Profile
Spire Healthcare is one of the UK’s biggest private healthcare providers. Founded in 2007 by a private equity firm, it has profited heavily off the gradual privatization of the UK's National Heath Service. During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, Spire Healthcare, alongside other private healthcare providers, was criticized for charging the taxpayer huge sums to take advantage of the backlog in demand for healthcare services.
Since 2017, the company was forced to set aside £50 million (US$ 61.45 million) to compensate victims of breast surgeon Ian Paterson who conducted unnecessary and damaging operations on over 1,000 patients. According to an independent inquiry, medical colleagues had been voicing concerns about the Paterson since 2003 but he wasn’t suspended until 2011 after 14 years of problematic work. Two Spire orthopaedic surgeons at Spire's hospital in Solihull, West Midlands, have also been investigated for conducting unnecessary and damaging operations.
Private healthcare services
Violations
| TOP OFFENCE GROUPS (GROUPS DEFINED) | PENALTY TOTAL | NUMBER OF CASES |
|---|---|---|
| competition-related offences | £1,200,000 | 1 |
| employment-related offences | £55,320 | 1 |
| safety-related offences | £20,104 | 1 |
(April 3, 2023)
Stories
- For-Profit Hospitals Have Thrived Because of Generous Public Reimbursement Schemes, Not Greater Efficiency: A Multi-Country Case Study by Patrick P. T. Jeurissen, Florien M. Kruse, Reinhard Busse, David U. Himmelstein, Elias Mossialos and Steffie Woolhandler (2021)
- Pounds for Patients? How private hospitals use financial incentives to win the business of medical consultants by David Rowland/The Centre for Health and the Public Interest (CHPI) (2019)
- The failure of privatised adult social care in England: what is to be done? by Bob Hudson/The Centre for Health and the Public Interest (CHPI) (2016)
- Health Care Reforms and the Rise of Global Multinational Health Care Companies by Jane Lethbridge/Public Services International (PSI) (2015)
- The wrong medicine: A review of the impacts of NHS reforms in England by Anna Coote and Joe Penny/New Economics Foundation (2014)
- The rise of the “public services industry”: A report for UNISON by Paul Gosling (2011)
Activism
Bristol's Spire Hospital wants to build a four-storey car park – but some residents aren’t happy
Esme Ashcroft | Bristol Post | January 31, 2018
Some 25 households around the private Spire Hospital in Redland have submitted objections to the 281-space car park proposal, branding it ironic and "extraordinary" that a hospital should seek to increase a reliance on car travel.
Ian Paterson breast op women in Solihull hospital protest
The BBC | March 3, 2015
Women given unnecessary or incomplete breast operations by a surgeon at two private hospitals have protested about delays in receiving compensation.
NHS 'People's March' protests: Thousands join London's new 'jarrow march' in demonstrations against health cuts
Charlie Cooper and Serina Sandhu | The Independent | September 7, 2014
Only last week, three companies – Spire, Circle and Ramsay Health – announced large year-on-year increases in their NHS income. Spire, which has 35 clinics and hospitals which offer NHS-funded care, took £117m of NHS money in the first half of this year – up 29 per cent.
International:
- European Public Service Union (EPSU)
- European Network of Corporate Observatories (ENCO)
- Committee for the Abolition of Illegitimate Debt (CADTM)
- Public Services International
United Kingdom:
- NHS For Sale
- Keep Our NHS Public
- The Lowdown NHS
- Defend Our NHS
- Stockport NHS Watch
- NHS Fight Back
- Health Emergency
- Patients Before Profits: Justice for Victims of Ian Paterson
- The People's Assembly
- Centre for Health and the Public Interest (CHPI)
- We Own It
- Corporate Watch
- UNISON
- New Economics Foundation
& Lawsuits
Medical negligence specialists turn to the courts to seek faster legal resolution against Spire Bristol for victims of surgeon Tony Dixon
Thompsons Solicitors | September 2, 2022
A leading medical negligence law firm, with more than 100 ongoing legal claims against Bristol-based mesh surgeon Anthony Dixon, is seeking court approval for an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme – which it hopes will speed up the legal process for his victims at Spire Bristol.
Three inquests following deaths at private hospital in Norfolk
Peter Thurlow | East Anglia Bylines | March 31, 2022
The deaths all occurred at the Spire Hospital, on Old Watton Road in Norwich. The cases are not known to be connected, but a spokesperson for the coroner explained that the three deaths raise similar concerns, and it is proper to investigate them together since there is a potential link.
Spire Leeds: Hospital delayed telling patients about surgeon concerns
BBC | April 29, 2021
A private hospital has been ordered to pay £20,000 after it delayed telling patients about a surgeon's bad practice in the first prosecution of its kind. Upper limb orthopaedic consultant Mike Walsh worked at the Spire Leeds Hospital from 1993 until he was suspended in 2018, a judge was told.
New victims of rogue surgeon prompt private hospital to create £22m fund
Shaun Lintern | The Independent | March 19, 2021
Spire Healthcare’s compensation bill set to hit almost £50m after patients tricked into undergoing unnecessary operations.
Spire admits to price fixing scandal in £1.2m fine
Emily Nicolle | City AM | July 1, 2020
Spire Healthcare has admitted to its part in an illegal price fixing scandal that saw one of its hospitals overcharge patients with eye disorders. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) ordered the firm to pay £1.2m in fines following the conclusion of its investigation.
Ian Paterson inquiry: more than 1,000 patients had needless operations
Denis Campbell and Alexandra Topping | The Guardian | February 4, 2020
The rogue breast surgeon Ian Paterson subjected more than 1,000 patients to unnecessary and damaging operations over 14 years before he was stopped, an independent inquiry has found... Despite colleagues voicing fears about Paterson from 2003, he was allowed to continue working and was not suspended by the NHS and Spire until 2011.
Consultant psychiatrist who worked at Leeds Spire Hospital under investigation
Georgina Morris | Yorkshire Evening Post | February 3, 2020
Malikayil Skaria Alexander was the subject of an interim order hearing held in October last year when a number of conditions were placed on his licence.
Widow 'thrilled' by bill to let ombudsman probe private health
BBC | March 20, 2019
But the report did not find negligence in the care provided. Spire was ordered to make a "goodwill payment" of £2,250 to Mrs Lewis.
“Celebrity” doctor sued by 57 patients
Pryers | September 1, 2016
The patients are taking legal action against Dr Nair following prostate, bladder and kidney treatments carried out by the surgeon at Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham and Spire Parkway private hospital in Solihull.
Inquiry: private hospitals ‘overcharge by £200m’
Iona Bain | Financial Adviser | September 4, 2013
The provisional findings from an inquiry into the sector found that the largest three hospital operators – BMI Healthcare, HCA International and Spire Healthcare – have capitalised on weak competition, particularly in areas such as London, to negotiate policy pricing to their advantage.
Duncan Smith's inquiry call over Spire Roding Hospital
BBC | February 17, 2011
Charlie Leahy, who was being treated for terminal bowel cancer, died of a heart attack at the Spire Roding Hospital in Redbridge in 2009. Now a former nurse there has raised questions over his care - leading Iain Duncan Smith to call for an inquiry.
& Relations
1,500 more patients of jailed breast surgeon Ian Paterson recalled
Andrew Gregory | The Guardian | February 1, 2023
Health officials are recalling a further 1,500 patients of the jailed breast surgeon Ian Paterson, more than two decades after he treated them, after the discovery of an old IT database.
Spire Healthcare patients recalled over shoulder op concerns
Michael Paduano | BBC | October 11, 2022
Spire Healthcare, in Birmingham, would not confirm how many patients of Munawar Shah would be recalled. It comes after Walsall Healthcare Trust announced it was recalling 600 NHS patients who underwent shoulder surgery performed by Mr Shah.
Hull surgeon struck off after injecting patient in wrong hip and then trying to cover it up with lies
James Campbell | Hull Daily Mail | March 14, 2022
Dr Narayanasamy Raghuraman was working at the Spire Hull and East Riding Hospital in Anlaby when he made the terrible mistake although the physical or mental impact on the patient has not been made clear.
Work of third surgeon scrutinised at Ian Paterson-linked private hospital
The Northern Echo | January 28, 2020
A shoulder procedure carried out at the private Spire Parkway Hospital by consultant orthopaedic surgeon Amir Salama was reviewed after concerns were raised about the operation, Spire Healthcare said.
Spire Healthcare: Hundreds of patients recalled over concerns of ‘unnecessary shoulder surgeries’
Conrad Duncan | The Independent | January 24, 2020
Hundreds of patients for the UK’s second largest private healthcare provider have been recalled over concerns about operations performed by surgeon Habib Rahman.
Spire Hospital cancels operations over Christmas amid claims it is ‘filthy’
Conor Gogarty | Bristol Post | December 18, 2019
A whistle-blowing employee said: “The theatres are in a dreadful state of poor cleanliness. They are filthy and have to be deep-cleaned.”
Granddad's bile duct severed during routine procedure at private Solihull hospital
Ed Chatterton and James Rodger | Birmingham Live | December 16, 2019
A grandfather has received a payout from a private hospital after having his bile duct severed during a botched gallbladder operation outsourced by the NHS. Keith Salt, 60, now has a shortened life expectancy after suffering complications during a procedure at the Spire Parkway Hospital in Solihull, West Mids.
Surgeon's slip-up left me in agonising pain: Plastic tube found inside woman months after operation
Express & Star | August 24, 2015
But she says that after Spire Little Aston Hospital took the trouble to anaesthetise her, they immediately stitched back up again having spotted that the cysts were in fact two-and-half inches of plastic tubing, left inside her from a previous operation.
Covid-19
Private firms cash in on new Covid surge with 3-month deal to relieve NHS
Bethany Rielly | Morning Star | January 10, 2022
Private firms will be paid millions to treat NHS patients over the next three months as part of a new deal, slammed by campaigners as a “disgraceful waste of public funds.” ... Firms benefiting from the agreement include Practice Plus Group, Spire Healthcare, Nuffield Health and Circle Health Group.
Spire Healthcare boss awarded bonus worth over £300,000 after NHS Covid revenue boost
Jasper Jolly | The Guardian | April 19, 2021
The boss of a private hospital company has been awarded an annual bonus worth more than £300,000 after the business he leads benefited from an NHS contract worth £360m during the Covid-19 pandemic.
UK government accelerates National Health Service privatisation under the cover of the pandemic
Sanya Perera | World Socialist Web Site | April 13, 2021
Having signed up to NHS England’s deals awarding an eyewatering £10 billion to private companies, Spire’s profits, along with more than 90 other providers, are guaranteed for the next four years.
Coronavirus: 8,000 private hospital beds rented to NHS for £2.4million per day
Nigel Nelson and Sean Rayment | Mirror | March 14, 2020
Talks commenced on Friday with private health provider Spire, which has 39 private hospitals across the UK.
Financials
& Evasion
Virgin Care among firms with lucrative NHS deals and a tax haven status
Daniel Boffey | The Guardian | March 21, 2015
"Although Spire has been reconstituted during 2014 as a UK stock exchange-quoted company, it is still controlled by a Guernsey-based private equity operation, while Bio Products Laboratory Holdings is owned from the Cayman Islands by Bain Capital, another private equity fund."
An Unhealthy Business: Major Healthcare Companies Use Tax Havens to Avoid Millions In UK Tax
Corporate Watch | March 17, 2012
Spire Healthcare, the UK’s second largest private healthcare company, is channelling £65m a year through a Luxembourg subsidiary of Cinven, its private equity owner, almost wiping out its taxable UK earnings.
Procurement
CorpWatch is still gathering procurement data on Spire Healthcare at this time.