Ormond St: We need private fees to help NHS

Great Ormond Street Hospital faces an £8 million cash shortfall from private patients unless action is taken, it emerged today.

The world-renowned children's hospital wants to become a foundation trust to give it more financial independence.

But NHS rules set a legal limit on the amount of private income these hospitals can earn, to make sure trusts do not use their freedoms to go private and deny access to NHS patients.

It means the number of private patients the hospital sees would be capped and it is now planning to set up a charitable arm to avoid the limit. The hospital treats many children from abroad who are usually paid for by their governments or health systems.

Chief executive Dr Jane Collins said: "We want to become a foundation trust, independent within the NHS. However, the 'private patient cap' would require us to limit our international income, from an estimated £25 million this year to only £17 million.

"The international income we receive allows us to treat more NHS patients than would otherwise be the case. Limiting international income reduces our capacity to treat sick children on the NHS."