In response to the findings, 760 non-public companies profited from the UK’s nationwide healthcare system whereas providing companies comparable to CT scans and hip and knee replacements.
The Centre for Well being and the Public Curiosity (CHPI) additionally claimed that £2bn of the £12bn went to companies situated exterior of the UK, and £533m went to companies registered in tax havens.
Branded “scandalous” by some MPs, the reporting suggests that personal corporations are possible making excessive income from public healthcare, and taxpayer cash could be siphoned into tax havens because the UK’s well being system struggles.
Personal corporations do play a key position in UK well being, supporting hundreds of thousands of individuals by way of companies, and based on the Division of Well being and Social Care, “tackling the ready listing backlog.”
Breaking down such expenditure isn’t essentially easy, and The Guardian additionally quoted a authorities spokesperson as saying there’s a zero-tolerance method to “gaming” the system.
Nevertheless, the CHPI’s director is looking on the UK authorities to cap the income that personal corporations could make from offering NHS companies.
Listed below are some numbers in regards to the NHS that it’s good to know.
£215 billion: NHS England spending cap
Within the monetary 12 months 2026 to 2027, the utmost spending cap for day-to-day operations is £215.352 billion, topic to sure guidelines.
Regardless of a big price range, many NHS companies stay strained by ongoing pressures, together with lengthy ready lists and structural challenges.
71,517 individuals: waited greater than 12 hours in A&Es in January
In response to the most recent figures, the variety of individuals ready greater than half a day in A&E departments, from a choice to confess, has elevated sharply in simply two months.
It’s the best ready figures recorded since month-to-month information started in August 2010.
1,379,163: NHS employees in full-time equal roles
In response to NHS Digital information, there are 1,379,163 full-time equal employees in NHS trusts and organisations as of January 2026. That is 0.4% from the earlier 12 months.
The imply annual earnings per particular person in NHS trusts and Scientific Commissioning Teams (CCGs) in England have been £43,877 within the 12 months as much as the top of January 2026, however these figures fluctuate considerably relying on roles and employment construction.
13.6 weeks: median wait time
In response to Referral to Remedy (RTT) figures revealed by the British Medical Affiliation, the median wait time for individuals awaiting remedy is 13.6 weeks.
In January 2019, the median wait time was 7.8 weeks.
21,000: NHS posts reportedly set to be axed over funding
In response to the European Medical Journal, round 21,000 NHS posts will likely be lower by 2028 attributable to monetary points which are “getting worse”.
This reportedly contains 3,600 medical roles, emptiness freezes and position restructuring.
18.4 million: therapies delivered in 2025
In response to NHS figures, the NHS “delivered extra elective exercise in 2025 than another 12 months in its historical past.”
This included 18.4 million therapies and operations in 2025, up from 18 million the 12 months earlier than.
13.6 weeks: median wait time for individuals
