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 Washington Hospital to referring clinicians and the amounts charged by Spire for those services are set out below:

  • Use of consulting rooms: £26 per hour
  • Medical secretarial services: £22.88 per hour

“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, 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, one conference was held virtually therefore, held no cost. The face to face conferences were held in May at Spire’s head office in London, in October and in November at Oulton Hall, Leeds. The total cost of the events in 2022 were approximately £6,463, £11.95 per head 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:

2024

Consultant speciality meetings

  • 27 February - ENT meeting: £10 per head
  • 4 March - Gynaecology and Urology meeting: £10 per head
  • 26 April - Cosmetic meeting: £10 per head
  • 28 May - General surgery meeting: £10 per head

GP events

  • 18 January – Upper Gastrointestinal surgical conditions: £8 per head
  • 15 February – Hip & Knee; Surgical treatments and when to refer: £8 per head
  • 18 May – Primary care symposium (based on 30 attendees): £26.23 per head

MAC

  • 29 January – Q1 meeting: £10 per head, 6 Consultants and 5 senior colleague members attended
  • 22 April – Q2 meeting: £10 per head, 7 Consultants and 5 senior colleague members attended

AGM  

  • 4 July - Annual General Meeting, Durham Cricket Ground, 28 Consultants and senior hospital members attending: £71.50 per head, budgeted for 55 attendees which would have equated to £34.90 per head

2023

Consultant speciality meetings

  • 25 July – Orthopaedic meeting: £10.50 per head
  • 2 August - Anaesthetics meeting: £10.50 per head
  • 26 September General surgery meeting: £10.50 per head
  • 6 October Radiology meeting: £10.50 per head
  • 17 October ENT meeting: £10.50 per head
  • 1 November Urology meeting: £10.50 per head

GP events

  • 9 February Back and Sciatica virtual event: No cost
  • 30 October Update NICE guidelines and degenerative spinal diseases: £10.50 per head

MAC

  • 23 January – Q1 meeting: £10.50 per head
  • 7 July – Q2 meeting: £10.50 per head
  • 16 October – Q3/4 meeting: 10.50 per head

AGM  

  • 3 March - Annual General Meeting, Durham Cricket Ground, Consultants and senior hospital members attending (70) : £29.02 per head

2022

Consultant speciality meetings

  • Orthopaedics 1 August – Face to face, buffet – approx. £5 per head
  • Cosmetics 5 April virtual no cost

GP events

  • Virtual Upper Limb Orthopaedic event - 1 March (Mr Fourie)
  • Virtual Lower Limb Orthopaedic event - 28 April (Mr Loughead)
  • Virtual Hand and Wrist Orthopaedic event 4 May (Mr Dalal)
  • Virtual Endocrinology event - 22 June (Dr Abouglila)
  • Virtual Neurosurgery event - 31 October (Mr Wynne-Jones)
  • Virtual ENT event - 10 November (Mr Waldron)

2021

MAC

  • 1 March – virtual no cost
  • 22 June – virtual no cost

AGM

  • 23 November – virtual no cost

Consultant specialty meetings

  • Orthopaedic Lower Limb – 2 September - virtual no cost

GP events

  • 16 September virtual general surgery: £0 no cost

2020

MAC

  • 13 January – Q1 - £9.75 pp
  • 14 July – virtual no cost
  • 14 December – virtual no cost

Consultant specialty meetings

  • Cosmetic – 19 November - virtual no cost
  • Cosmetic – 2 September – virtual no cost
  • Consultant big brief – 4 August – virtual no cost

Self-pay events

  • 18 January Cosmetic and weight loss event: £250 in total 
  • 3 February Cosmetic event: £250 in total 
  • 26 February Physiotherapy open evening: £0 no charge 

All self-pay events planned by Spire Washington Hospital have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

GP events

  • 16 January Spinal - £482.80 in total
  • 12 February Bariatric - £9.75 per head
  • 13 February lunch and learn bariatric  £5 per head
  • 21 February lunch and learn hand and wrist £5 per head
  • 18 June virtual spinal event: £0 no cost 
  • 24 June virtual foot and ankle: £0 no cost
  • 7 July virtual cardiology: £0 no cost
  • 15 July virtual psychiatry: £0 no cost
  • 27 July virtual Dermatology: £0 cost
  • 22 July virtual urology: £0 no cost
  • 6 October virtual pain management: £0 no cost
  • 12 November virtual shoulder: £0 no cost
  • 6 December virtual cardio: £0 no cost

2019

Consultant specialty meetings:

  • 19 February, lower limb: £9.75 per head
  • 21 November, cosmetic: £9.75 per head

MAC

  • 4 February Quarter 1 meeting: £9.75 per head 
  • 8 April Quarter 2 meeting: £9.75 per head 
  • 8 July Quarter 3 meeting: £9.75 per head
  • 8 September Quarter 4 meeting: £9.75 per head  

Self-pay events

  • 18 February cosmetic event: £70 in total
  • 29 April weight loss event / support group: no cost
  • 6 April self-pay roadshow: no cost 
  • 15 June self-pay roadshow: no cost 
  • 17 June cosmetic event: £55 in total 
  • 14 September self-pay event: no cost 
  • 05 October self-pay event: £250 in total
  • 21 October Cosmetic event: £250 in total 

GP events

  • 28 February foot and ankle event: £9.75 per head 
  • 6 June GP ENT event: £9.75 per head
  • 10 July One stop breast: £9.75 per head 
  • 15 August Hand surgery: £9.75 per head
  • 12 September Bariatric: £9.75 per head 
  • 21 September Orthopaedic held at Radisson Blu Hotel, Durham: £15.57 per head
  • 05 October GP event: £14.70 per head
  • 15 October Update on Management of pelvic flooring problems: £9.75 per head 
  • 20 November Haemorroids: Old problems, new solutions: £9.75 per head
  • 10 December Update on detection of prostate cancer: £9.75 per head  

Lunch and Learns

  • January 30 – Urology £9.75 per head
  • May 18 – Holiday Inn Hotel, Washington  Cardiology,  Orthopaedic hip and knee, ENT, Gynaecologist. (sponsored by Rutherford Cancer Centre)
  • 20 June Orthopaedic Hip and knee Lunch and learn at GP Practice £20 (lunch)
  • 25 November Respiratory Lunch and Learn at GP Practice £20 (lunch)
  • 6 December ENT Lunch and Learn at GP Practice £20 (lunch)

Cricket match hospitality

  • 23 August, Durham Cricket Club: £110 per head 

AGM 

  • 18 October, AGM, The Hilton Hotel Gateshead: £31.75 per head

2018

Consultant specialty meetings:

  • 31 January, Orthopaedic lower limb meeting: £9.75 per head
  • 5 June, Anaesthetic meeting: £9.75 per head
  • 11 June, Cosmetic meeting: £9.75 per head
  • 1 November. Radiology meeting: £9.75 per head

MAC:

  • 15 January, Quarter 1 meeting: £9.75 per head
  • 9 February, Dinner: £100 per head x 9 
  • 21 May, Quarter 2 meeting: £9.75 per head
  • 20 August, Quarter 3 meeting: £9.75 per head
  • 19 November, Quarter 4 meeting: £9.75 per head

AGM:

  • 13 July, Annual General Meeting: £33 per head

Cricket match hospitality

  • 20 July, Durham County Cricket Club: £160 per head

Tall Ships hospitality

  • 12 July, Durham County Cricket Club: £100 per head

Hospital Christmas party:

  • 10 March, Ramside Hall, Durham, £38 per head

Staff awards ceremony:

  • 8 September, Radisson Blu, Durham, £35 per head

Self-pay health events:

  • 14 April, Radisson Blu, Durham, £30 per head
  • 16 June, Hilton Gardens, Sunderland, £28 per head
  • 10 September, Radisson Blu, Durham, £3 per head

GP events:

Lunch and Learns

  • 14 February, Murton Medical Group: £5.25 per head
  • 10 April, Monkseaton Medical Group: £5.25 per head

Evening events:

  • 29 January ENT: £9.75 per head
  • 20 February Cardiology: £9.75 per head
  • 20 March Breast Cancer: £9.75 per head
  • 26 April Orthopaedics: £9.75 per head
  • 22 May Gynaecology: £9.75 per head
  • 19 June Bariatrics: £9.75 per head 
  • 22 September: £9.75 per head
  • 16 October: £9.75 per head

Symposiums

  • 1 event - Holiday Inn Hotel, Washington: £11.50 per head (17 March)
  • 1 event - Holiday Inn Hotel, Washington: £11.50 per head (23 June)
  • 1 event - Holiday Inn Hotel, Washington: £11.50 per head (22 September)
  • 1 event - Holiday Inn Hotel, Washington: £11.50 per head (24 November)

2017

Consultant specialty meetings:

  • 9 February Spinal meeting: £9.75 per head 
  • 9 March Gynaecology meeting: £9.75 per head 
  • 6 April Lower limb orthopaedics meeting: £9.75 per head 
  • 4 May Upper limb orthopaedics meeting: £9.75 per head 
  • 7 June General surgery meeting: £9.75 per head 
  • 13 July Cosmetic meeting: £9.75 per head
  • 7 September ENT meeting: £9.75 per head 
  • 15 November Radiology meeting: £9.75 per head 

Hospital Christmas party:

  • 21 January, The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle, £55 per head

MAC:

  • 14 March, Quarter 1 meeting: £9.75 per head
  • 22 May, Quarter 2 meeting: £9.75 per head
  • 17 July, Quarter 3 meeting: £9.75 per head
  • 16 October, Quarter 4 meeting: £9.75 per head

AGM:

  • 1 December, Annual General Meeting: £9.75 per head

GP events:

Lunch and Learns:

  • 8 November, Murton Medical Group: £5.25 per head

Evening events:

  • 26 January Cardiology: £9.75 per head
  • 21 February Shoulder surgery: £9.75 per head
  • 23 March Rheumatology: £9.75 per head
  • 27 April ENT: £9.75 per head
  • 15 May Allergy: £9.75 per head
  • 10 June Spinal: £9.75 per head
  • 21 September Urology: £9.75 per head
  • 31 October Neurology: £9.75 per head
  • 23 November Orthopaedics: £9.75 per head
  • 12 December Pain management: £9.75 per head

Symposiums

  • 2 events - Holiday Inn Hotel, Washington: £11.50 per head (7 October and 10 June)

2016

Consultant specialty meetings:

  • Upper limb meeting: £2.75 per head
  • General surgery meeting: £3.25 per head
  • Urology meeting: £3 per head
  • Cosmetic meeting: £6.90 per head

MAC meetings:

  • Quarter 4 meeting: £15 per head

AGM

  • Annual General Meeting - £142 per head

Corporate hospitality

  • Durham County Cricket Club tickets for GPs: £99 per head


2015

Corporate hospitality

  • Rugby World Cup - South Africa vs. Scotland match: £150 per head
  • Rugby World Cup - Scotland vs. Samoa match: £150 per head

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:

  • No clinicians without a webpage to declare at this time.

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 Kiran Koneti has been appointed as a pre-operative lead anaesthetist to run and improve pre-operative assessment clinics at the hospital. Duties include providing anaesthetic support services for patients undergoing pre-assessment at the hospital in advance of surgery and Dr Koneti is paid £500 per clinic.
  • Mr Ahmed Ali-Khan is Chair of the Medical Advisory Committee at Spire Washington 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.