Compliance with CMA Order 2014

In October 2014, the Competition and Markets Authority (the "CMA") published the Private Healthcare Market Investigation Order 2014 (the "Order") following its investigation into the private healthcare industry. The Order imposed requirements on private hospital operators to disclose certain information in relation to referring clinicians (as defined by the Order) for the benefit of patients. Full details about the investigation and the Order can be found on the CMA web page. The information provided by Spire Healthcare below is required by the Order.

"Higher value" services

The services provided at Spire Leicester Hospital to referring clinicians and the amounts charged by Spire for those services are set out below:

  • Use of consulting rooms: £20 per hour plus VAT (£19 per hour where pay by Direct Debit)
  • Medical secretarial services: Pool medical secretaries are charged at a rate of £24.66 incl VAT
  • Secretarial space: £3 per hour plus VAT

“Low value” services

The following “low-value” services are also provided to referring clinicians with practising privileges at this hospital: 

  • General services to ensure clinical safety (eg in-house training, chaperones)
  • Operational services such as patient bookings/admissions (including online booking and payment for consultations), access to a virtual consultation solution, administrative services and billing, and insurance/indemnity cover in respect of NHS patients
  • General marketing support, including production of consultant directories, promotional activities, web profiles etc
  • Basic workplace amenities such as teas/coffees/refreshments, subsidised meals, car parking (including EV charging) and stationery

Corporate hospitality events for referring clinicians

Spire group Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) Chairs conferences

Spire group Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) Chairs conferences are held twice a year, focusing on clinical safety and governance issues. MAC Chairs from all of Spire’s hospitals are invited to attend, with their partners, and are joined by members of Spire’s senior management.

  • In 2017, the conferences were held in Berlin and Aylesbury and the total cost of the events was approximately £85,000 and £25,000 respectively.
  • In 2018, a conference was held in Berlin and the total cost of the event was approximately £88,000.
  • In 2019, the conferences were held in Lisbon and Aylesbury and the total cost of the events was approximately £95,000 and £28,400. MAC Chairs were also invited to attend the Spire Healthcare Senior Management Conference in Birmingham in June 2019 (8 MAC Chairs attended at a cost of £845 per head).
  • No conferences were held in 2020.
  • In 2021, conferences were held virtually via Zoom as well as face to face in Aylesbury. The total cost of the events in 2021 was approximately £2,120 and £19,300 respectively. 
  • In 2022, the conferences were held in May at Spire’s head office in London and in November at Oulton Hall, Leeds. The total cost of the events in 2022 were approximately £6,463 and £20,338 respectively.
  • In 2023, the conferences were held in June at M Restaurant in London and in November at The Midland Hotel, Manchester. The total cost of the events in 2023 were approximately £2,931 and £20,389 respectively.

In 2019, Spire Healthcare held a series of 5 dinners with 70 consultants from across 5 Spire hospitals for the purpose of meeting various members of the Spire Executive team and listening to and engaging with consultants. The cost of the dinners ranged from £60 to £80 per head. No dinners were held in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Corporate hospitality events

Corporate hospitality events held by the hospital at no charge to referring clinicians are set out below, together with the cost of providing such events:

2023

  • Staff party hosted by the management team attended by 30 consultants, at a cost of £91 per head

2022

  • Gift hampers at a total cost of £2,550 were given to 16 consultants and one GP for their contribution to the MAC
  • Gift hampers at a total cost of £3,075 were given to 28 consultants for their advice on clinical matters
  • Seven consultants and their partner/guest attended the annual MAC dinner hosted by the management team, at a cost of £40.90 per head, with a total cost of £286.30 (including partner/guest total cost is £531.70)
  • Six consultants and the hospital oncology team attended an Oncology specialty dinner, at a cost of £44.65 per head, with a total cost of £267.90

2021

  • Gift hampers at a total cost of £1,937 were given to 16 consultants and one GP for their contribution to the MAC
  • Gift hampers at a total cost of £2,554.50 were given to 27 consultants for their advice on clinical matters

2020

  • The total entry fee of £300 for a hospital sponsored charity golf event was paid for 3 consultants
  • Gift hampers at a total cost of £2,800 were given to 28 consultants for their advice on clinical matters
  • Gift hampers at a total cost of £2,900 were given to 29 consultants for their advice on clinical matters

2019

  • As sponsors of the Leicester Tigers RFC, the hospital invited 9 consultants/GPs (and their guest) to watch Leicester Tigers home games in the hospitality box at a total cost of £1,980
  • As sponsors of the Leicester Riders basketball club, the hospital invited 3 consultants (and their guest) to watch Leicester Riders home games at a total cost of £150
  • The total entry fee of £200 for a hospital sponsored charity golf event was paid for 2 consultants
  • Gift hampers at a total cost of £1,875 were given to 14 consultants and 1 GP for their contribution to the MAC
  • Gift hampers at a total cost of £3,800 were given to 33 consultants for their advice on clinical matters
  • 8 consultants and the hospital oncology team attended an Oncology specialty dinner at a total cost of £525
  • 9 consultants and their partner/guest attended the annual MAC dinner hosted by the management team, at a cost of £4,401

2018

  • As sponsors of the Leicester Tigers RFC, the hospital invited 31 consultants/GPs (and their guest) to watch Leicester Tigers home games in the hospitality box at a total cost of £5,086
  • As sponsors of the Leicester Riders basketball club, the hospital invited 8 consultants/GPs (and their guest) to watch Leicester Riders home games at a total cost of £280
  • Gift hampers at a total cost of £2,250 were given to 14 consultants and 1 GP for their contribution to the MAC
  • Gift hampers at a total cost of £4,875 were given to 36 consultants for their advice on clinical matters
  • 7 consultants and the hospital oncology team attended an Oncology specialty dinner at a total cost of £780 
  • 9 consultants, 1 GP and their partner/guest attended the annual MAC dinner hosted by the management team, at a cost of £4,335 
  • The hospital invited 10 consultants and their families to attend a Christmas pantomime at a cost of £891
  • The total entry fee of £300 for a hospital sponsored charity golf event was paid for 2 consultants and 1 GP

2017

  • As sponsors of the Leicester Tigers RFC, the hospital invited 38 consultants/GPs (and their guest) to watch Leicester Tigers home games in the hospitality box at a total cost of £4,100
  • Gift hampers at a total cost of £1,700 were given to 11 consultants for their contribution to the MAC
  • Gift hampers at a total cost of £5250 were given to 39 consultants for their advice on clinical matters
  • 10 consultants attended an Oncology specialty dinner at a total cost of £780
  • 14 Consultants attended an orthopaedic specialty dinner at a total cost of £600
  • 27 consultants /guests attended the annual MAC dinner at a cost of £3,650

  2016

  • As sponsors of the Leicester Tigers RFC, the hospital invited 22 consultants/GPs (and their guest) to watch Leicester Tigers home games in the hospitality box at a total cost of £2,300

Clinician financial interests in Spire Healthcare

Private hospital operators are required to disclose details of referring clinicians practising at their facilities, who have a share or financial interest in those facilities or any equipment used there. Some clinicians may own shares in Spire Healthcare Group plc, which were acquired either at the admission price or through trading on the main market of the London Stock Exchange. Where a referring clinician has an individual web page profile on this hospital website, relevant shares and/or financial interests are disclosed there. For referring clinicians who do not have an individual profile, their shares and/or financial interests are shown below:

  • Mr Pilley owns 100% of the Micropigmentation equipment which he uses at Spire Leicester Hospital

Clinician advisory services to Spire Healthcare

Private hospital operators are required to disclose details of certain paid services provided by referring clinicians to private hospitals operators in addition to exercising practising privileges at that hospital. This information can be found on the referring clinician’s individual web page profile on this hospital website.

  • Dr Phil Green, G.P. Advisor £7,500 for G.P. Advisor £5,000 for MAC, Medical Rep for Clinical Governance.
  • Dr C Bouch is an Anaesthetist Advisor. Chris advises Spire’s Group Medical Director and Group Clinical Director when anaesthetist/critical care concerns are raised via the Incident Review Working Group (IRWG) and advises the Responsible Officer when concerns are raised about individual consultant anaesthetists’ performance. Chris is paid £20,000 per annum for this role and is also paid £700 per clinic to provide advice and support to the Pre-Op nursing team. Dr Chris Bouch is also the Associate Medical Director for the Central region working under the Group Medical Director to provide medical support for the hospitals and Consultants across the region. He is paid £150,000 per annum for this role.
  • Dr M Garg is Spire Healthcare’s Haematology Advisor specialising in Myeloma and Dr Garg is paid £200 per hour on an ad-hoc basis (undertaking approximately 20 hours per year) to act in this role. The role includes providing a professional clinical opinion as required to support the development of Haematology treatment protocols within Spire Healthcare.
  • Dr J Falconer-Smith is paid £12,600 per annum to oversee the pathology service at Spire Leicester Hospital. The role includes reviewing abnormal patient results, overseeing the quality of the service, providing advice to laboratory staff, providing clinical advice and attending pathology meetings and fulfilling regulatory requirements.
  • Dr D Modha acts as a microbiology advisor to Spire Leicester Hospital and is paid £7,260 per annum to act in this role, providing a professional clinical opinion, advice on infection prevention and control measures and supporting microbiology services within Spire Leicester, including out of hours and remote telephone advice to the pathology department.
  • Dr S Bukhari acts as a microbiology advisor to Spire Leicester Hospital and is paid £7,260 per annum to act in this role, providing a professional clinical opinion, advice on infection prevention and control measures and supporting microbiology services within Spire Leicester Hospital, including out of hours and remote telephone advice to the pathology department.
  • Dr M Martin provides haematology advice and is paid £7,209.96 per annum
  • Dr H Qureshi provides haematology advice and is paid £7,209.96 per annum
  • Mr Peter Conboy is Chair of the Medical Advisory Committee at Spire Leicester Hospital. Their role is to provide senior professional advice to the Hospital Director and Director of Clinical Services in order to support effective medical governance and oversight. They are paid £14,000 per annum for this role and are also entitled to receive the following fees for the provision of additional ad hoc services: (i) £750 for chairing a Professional Review Committee; (ii) £200 per hour for attendance at regulatory or other national body meeting (capped at £500); (iii) £500 for each annual medical appraisal undertaken for a doctor designating to Spire for the purposes of revalidation; (iv) £1,000 per annum for undertaking the role of governance lead in addition to MAC Chair; and (v) £200 per hour for the preparation of an independent report (up to a maximum of £500 per report unless otherwise agreed due to complexity) upon request by the Medical Director or Chief Medical Officer.