There has been a decline in the number of private healthcare treatments patients have undergone in the past year, according to data released by the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN).
The data revealed the total number of private treatments in the UK fell from 527,00 to 496,000 from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021.
The data also revealed 16 never events were reported across 257 independent and NHS hospitals treating private patients. This compared with 24 the corresponding period of the previous year.
PHIN pointed out that the decline was expected as the period coincided with the calendar year beginning at the start of the Covid pandemic in the UK.
As a result of the pandemic the NHS agreed to use private facilities to treat patients, reducing the availability of services for private patients, while many private patients also put off their treatment.