| Practice Plus Group | |
| Former Name: | Care UK |
| Type: | Private |
| Industry: | Healthcare |
| Founded: | 2019 |
| Parent: | Bridgepoint Group |
Practice Plus Group is a healthcare company based in Reading, Berkshire, which is England's largest independent provider of NHS services.
Practice Plus Group was founded as Care UK in 1982 and rebranded in 2020. It is owned by Bridgepoint Group.
In November 2023, Practice Plus Group won Laing Buisson's 'Hospital Group of the Year' award.[1]
Practice Plus Group offers private patient treatment[2] at its hospitals. Its website advertises prices of up to 30% less than other private hospitals. They specialise in hip, knee and cataract surgery.
Their Secondary Care service operates six hospitals, three surgical centres, two musculoskeletal services, two Urgent Treatment Centres (providing direct walk in access for the assessment and treatment of injury and illness on a no appointment basis, or with patients being referred via the NHS 111 service) and delivers ophthalmology services throughout England. Through these centres they treat 80,000 NHS patients each year. The hospitals and surgical centres cover a range of specialties,[3] including orthopaedics, endoscopy, ophthalmology, urology, gynaecology, oral and general surgery. Most centres also offer diagnostic imaging, such as X-rays and MRI, CT and Ultrasound scans.
Practice Plus Group’s Integrated Urgent Care division brings together NHS 111 call centres, clinical assessment, out-of-hours service and other urgent care services. [4]
The company is also commissioned by NHS England to provide healthcare in over 45 prisons, from reception health checks on arrival and regular GP services, to help with substance misuse, mental health, chronic or long-term conditions, podiatry, physiotherapy and optometry.[5]
In November 2023 it was reported that a prison doctor employed by Practice Plus Group has refused to prescribe Sarah Jane Baker oestogen, saying they would only prescribe testosterone, which the Free Sarah Jane Baker campaign said "amounts to a medical detransition". A company spokesperson said they were "fully committed to providing appropriate care for trans patients."[6] [7]
Practice Plus Group currently delivers more than 70 dedicated NHS services and treats over a million patients every year, meeting a wide range of healthcare needs.
They are regulated by the Care Quality Commission and use the same strict governance and accountability procedures as the NHS.[8]