UNITED KINGDOM: Growing Medical Tourism

The Central London private hospital market is opening up to a new breed of small highly specialised clinics. An influx of small hospitals will increase capacity by 10% in 2016.

London has always been known as a global medical centre, with scores of private hospitals and clinics.

According to healthcare analyst LaingBuisson the Central London private hospital market is opening up to a new breed of small, highly specialised clinics, which with an influx of small hospitals will increase capacity by 10% in 2016.

One driver of the expansion is international patients. While some are medical tourists is almost impossible to get numbers. London is one of the most multicultural cities in the world with millions of legal workers from Europe and elsewhere; millions of international residents who live there permanently or just have a home there, and millions of tourists and business travellers.

While unable to put numbers on it- with new inbound measures making life uncomfortable for any Middle East visitor to the USA-London is getting more, and sees great potential, in patients from Middle Eastern countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

The rise is in patients with more complex medical needs, particularly in oncology and neurology, as private hospitals become increasingly involved in more complex procedures. Those from overseas are mostly self-pay, with some paid for by overseas governments.

New developments include:

- Cancer hospital from VPS Healthcare
- New hospital from Spire
- Two clinics from Fortius
- Gynaecology and urology centre from Nuada
- Eye hospital from Optegra
- New hospital from Cleveland Clinic
- Hospital Corporation of America clinic