Independent sector treatment centres (ISTCS): early experience from an ophthalmology perspective

Independent sector treatment centres: evidence so far.

Independent sector treatment centres: learning from a Scottish case study.

Equity and NHS reforms. What about independent sector treatment centres?

Independent sector treatment centres: the first independent evaluation, a Scottish case study.

OBJECTIVES The pound5 billion English Independent Sector Treatment Centre (ISTC) programme remains unevaluated because of a lack of published contract data and poor quality data returns. Scotland has a three-year pilot ISTC, the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre (SRTC), the contract for which is now in the public domain. This study aims to conduct an independent evaluation of the performance o...

Case-mix & patients' reports of outcome in Independent Sector Treatment Centres: Comparison with NHS providers

BACKGROUND There has been considerable concern expressed about the outcomes achieved in Independent Sector Treatment Centres (ISTCs) introduced in England since 2003. Our aim was to compare the case-mix and patients' reported outcomes of surgery in ISTCs and in NHS providers. METHODS Prospective cohort study of 769 patients treated in six ISTCs and 1895 treated in 20 NHS providers (acute hosp...