Well this doesn't give much confidence in the ability of the NHS to treat it's own staff. Below is an extract from an article in Pulse today - for the full article go to: (you may have to register if not already a member)
pulsetoday.co.uk/news/all-n...
The BMA has recently begun offering private medical insurance to all its staff as part of a salary exchange scheme, which the body claims does not contradict the association’s support for a publicly funded NHS.
The association says it has introduced a policy by which employees can exchange part of their salary for private medical cover. A BMA spokesperson said the policy does not result in any costs to the BMA and is an staff member’s individual choice.
They also clarified that the BMA chair Dr Mark Porter, the BMA Council and the GPC are not provided with private health insurance. The news comes after Pulse first reported in April that the BMA admitted it offers private medical insurance to a small number of ‘very senior staff’ in order to attract suitably experienced employees.
Pulse also revealed that the GMC spent £255,000 on private medical insurance for almost two thirds of its staff this year, after a review of the policy concluded it was needed to attract and retain quality staff. BMA treasurer Dr Andrew Dearden, a GP in Cardiff, said that the policy was not in opposition to their warnings over opening up the NHS to private companies