The National Health Service (NHS) has bought a private heart hospital for £27.5m. The Heart Hospital, London, is fully equipped and staffed by private owner Gleneagles Hospital. It will become a new cardiac centre for the NHS run by University College London Hospitals (UCLH) Trust.
Ministers and UCLH managers said the deal would allow UCLH to treat 1,400 NHS heart patients at the hospital every year, compared with 600 in its current cardiac unit in west London.
The team of 162 nurses, surgeons, managers and ancillary staff will be transferred to the NHS payroll.
The Department of Health said profits from private patients would in the meantime be ploughed back into NHS treatment.
NHS chief executive Nigel Crisp said: “This purchase means we’re increasing our capacity and staff numbers. It will benefit NHS patients across the country and bring a huge boost to the NHS.”