Consultant relationships
Consultant relationships
Most of the consultants treating patients in our facilities are not Circle employees but rather self-employed practitioners. They practice their specialities in accordance with the terms of our Practicing Privileges policy.
In 2014, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) issued an Order regulating the relationships between private hospital groups and consultants who treat private patients or refer them for tests at group facilities (“Referring Clinicians”).
In accordance with this Order, hospital operators are prohibited from entering into any incentive schemes that are designed to encourage Referring Clinicians to refer private patients to, or treat private patients at, their facilities. Circle Health does not operate any such schemes. The Order also requires hospital operators to disclose information about certain arrangements they have with Referring Clinicians, including ownership interests held by Referring Clinicians in the hospital operator; the provision of certain “high value” facilities to Referring Clinicians; the availability of “low value” basic amenities for Referring Clinicians; and any remuneration for services provided by Referring Clinicians to the hospital. Set out below is information about the arrangements we have with Referring Clinicians:
No Referring Clinician holds any equity or financial interest in Circle.
We engage a small number of Referring Clinicians to provide certain clinical services and/or to undertake certain managerial and governance functions at our hospitals. Attached below, listed by each facility, is a list of Referring Clinicians who provide such services and the remuneration they receive:
Circle Bath Hospital
Ben Colleypriest, JAG Endoscopy Lead
Advises on clinical matters relating to JAG accreditation
Remuneration: £4,000 annually
Andrew Chambler, Clinical Chair
Overall responsibility for clinical governance at Circle Bath; chairs local executive and attends Hospital Executive meeting
Remuneration: £2,000 monthly
Financial interests
Mr Anthony MacQuillan, Cosmetic Surgeon
Owns 100% of the body-jet evo lipsouction equipment used at the hospital
Mr Derek Robinson, Foot and Ankle Surgeon
Owns 50% of the Extracorporeal Shock Wave equipment used at the hospital
Mr Gavin Jennings, Shoulder Surgeon
Owns 50% of the Extracorporeal Shock Wave equipment used at the hospital
Circle Reading Hospital
Peter Hale, Clinical Chairman
Overall responsibility for clinical governance at Circle Reading; chairs local executive board and attends Hospital Executive meetings
Remuneration: £3,750 monthly
Shabham Iyer, Infection Control Lead
Advises the Infection Prevention and Control Committee (IPCC)
Remuneration: £1,500 monthly
We provide certain facilities to Referring Clinicians at the following rates:
Circle Bath Hospital
- consulting rooms at £11 per hour
- office space at £15 (ex VAT) per day
- secretarial services at £14.30 – £15.50 (ex VAT) per hour
Circle Reading Hospital
- consulting rooms at £11 per hour
- secretarial services at £16.21 (ex-VAT) per hour, depending on experience
At each of our hospitals, we provide consultants with the following basic amenities:
- In-housing training programmes to promote clinical and operational safety
- Patient admission, billing, and related administrative services
- Complimentary refreshments and parking
- General marketing and promotional activities
We also host informational meetings and events from time to time to which Referring Clinicians are invited to attend. While the cost of such events depends on the number attendees, the average cost is less than £1,000