NHS woes fuel private healthcare boom, with lawyers reaping the rewards Legal Private healthcare in the UK is experiencing unprecedented growth as NHS waiting lists soar and public services struggle to keep up. This surge in demand is also fueling a flurry of legal activity, keeping lawyers busy. Deals lawyers in the UK are generally the busiest and most important practices for most law firms; however, with [...]
Top court sides with HMRC as NHS hospitals liable for VAT on parking fees Legal HMRC brought a case against a branch of NHS hospitals to the Supreme Court over whether VAT should have been charged on hospital car parking fees, and they’ve succeeded. Today marks the end of a five-year legal battle through each court stage over VAT on parking tickets used by patients, visitors, and hospital staff at [...]
The company using AI to keep workers away from NHS waiting rooms Simplyhealth has pledged to be a solution to the UK’s productivity crisis, linking rising corporate sick leave, which costs Britain’s economy an estimated £150bn annually, to the NHS’s long backlog of treatments. The health insurer is turning to agentic AI to scale its services, hoping to keep employees healthy and at their desks rather than [...]
Millions of Brits turn to ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’ for healthcare treatments October 9, 2025 Millions of Brits are turning to the ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’ for help to pay for private healthcare treatment, as NHS waiting lists continue to remain high. According to a new survey by Howden Life and Health, over the past five years, nearly one-third of UK adults, or approximately 14m people, have paid for [...]
AI healthtech Cera can slash NHS emissions, new study finds October 3, 2025 An AI-powered model for home healthcare can reduce carbon emissions by around 15 times compared with hospital care, new research has found, adding an environmental dimension to the case for shifting more care out of hospitals and into the community. An independent third party analysis by IEP confirmed that that Healthtech company Cera’s home-first model [...]
UK launches national commission to fast-track AI in the NHS September 26, 2025 The UK government has established a national commission to accelerate the safe introduction of AI across the NHS. The panel, which brings together experts from big techs, researchers, and clinicians, will advise the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on a new regulatory framework for AI in healthcare, set to be published next year. [...]
Spire Healthcare considering sale amid shareholder pressure September 19, 2025 Spire Healthcare has confirmed it is exploring “a range of potential options” for the business, including a possible sale, after mounting pressure from some of its largest shareholders. In a statement to the London Stock Exchange, the private hospital group stressed that no decisions have been taken and that it is not in receipt of [...]
£1bn AI home care savings spotlight urgent need for public sector tech reform September 16, 2025 The NHS and government have saved more than £1bn to date thanks to an AI-driven approach to home care. HealthTech innovator Cera, which employs 10,000 carers and nurses delivering 2.5 million home visits per month, has developed predictive AI tools aimed at reducing avoidable hospital admissions, A&E attendances, and costly residential care referrals. Dr Ben [...]
Bupa boss: ‘The NHS needs fine-tuning but its soul will remain’ August 6, 2025 The UK boss of Bupa has rejected calls for the NHS to move to an insurance model, and while it needs "fine-tuning," its "soul will remain".
Should the wealthy always go private to save the NHS? July 28, 2025 It’s no secret that the NHS has been under pressure for years and the strain on its resources looks like not letting up any time soon. With staffing shortages, long waiting times, funding issues, an aging population and a rise in demand, the NHS has its back up against the wall. But should those who [...]