Practice Plus Group
{{short description|English healthcare company}}
{{Primary sources|date=November 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Practice Plus Group
| logo = Practice plus group logo.jpg
| former_name = Care UK
| type = Private
| industry = Healthcare
| founded = 2019
| parent = Bridgepoint Group
| website = {{Official URL}}
}}
Practice Plus Group is a healthcare company based in Reading, Berkshire, which is England's largest{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} independent provider of healthcare services.
History
Practice Plus Group was founded as Care UK in 1982 and rebranded in 2020. It is owned by the investment company Bridgepoint Group.
In November 2023, Practice Plus Group won LaingBuisson's 'Hospital Group of the Year' award.{{Cite web |title=Accolade for low-cost private care provider |url=https://www.independent-practitioner-today.co.uk/2024/01/accolade-for-low-cost-private-care-provider/ |access-date=2024-01-04 |website=www.independent-practitioner-today.co.uk}}
Facilities
= Private hospitals =
Practice Plus Group offers private patient treatment at its hospitals.{{Cite web |title=Private and NHS care options |url=https://practiceplusgroup.com/nhs-and-private-patient-care/ |access-date=2023-02-21 |website=Practice Plus Group |language=en-US}} 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 walk-in access for the assessment and treatment of injury and illness on a no-appointment basis, or to patients referred via the NHS 111 service) and delivers ophthalmology services throughout England. Through these centres they treat 80,000 NHS patients each year.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} The hospitals and surgical centres cover a range of specialties,{{Cite web |title=Procedures Archive |url=https://practiceplusgroup.com/treatments/ |access-date=2023-02-21 |website=Practice Plus Group |language=en-US}} 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. {{Cite web |title=Integrated Urgent Care |url=https://practiceplusgroup.com/services/integrated-urgent-care/ |access-date=2023-02-21 |website=Practice Plus Group |language=en-US}}
= Prisons =
The company is 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.{{Cite web |title=Health In Justice |url=https://practiceplusgroup.com/services/health-in-justice/ |access-date=2023-02-21 |website=Practice Plus Group |language=en-US}}
In November 2023, it was reported that a prison doctor employed by Practice Plus Group 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".{{Cite web |last=Owen |first=Greg |date=2023-11-13 |title=Trans inmate forced to detransition as prison doctors try to inject her with testosterone |url=https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2023/11/trans-woman-forced-to-detransition-in-prison-while-doctors-try-to-inject-her-with-testosterone/ |access-date=2023-11-14 |website=LGBTQ Nation}}{{cite news |last1=Hansford |first1=Amelia |title=Sarah Jane Baker prison treatment 'amounts to medical detransition' |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/11/12/sarah-jane-baker-prison-detransition/ |access-date=6 December 2023 |work=The Pink News |issue=12 November 2023}}
Working with the NHS
Practice Plus Group delivers more than 70 dedicated NHS services and treats over a million patients every year,{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} meeting a wide range of healthcare needs.
They are regulated by the Care Quality Commission and use the same governance and accountability procedures as the NHS.{{Cite web |title=Our quality |url=https://practiceplusgroup.com/why-choose-us/our-quality/ |access-date=2023-02-21 |website=Practice Plus Group |language=en-US}}