A leading Harley.Street.heart clinic has complained to the OFT, alleging PPP is abusing market power after it was rejected from the insurer’s hospital list.
The Heart Hospital was furious after discovering it had not been included on PPP’s accredited list, and has demanded an investigation.
PPP said that the clinic, which has just spent £45 million on refurbishment, could not be part of the list because a PPP network heart clinic is too nearby.
The Heart Hospital has been through the accreditation process from other major insurers, including BUPA.
Sir Richard Needham, former trade minister and chairman of the Heart Hospital accused PPP of “acting unethically and denying doctors clinical freedom”.
In 1994, the mergers and monopolies commission stipulated that the private medical industry should work under competitive circumstances to protect consumer interests and ensure standards are maintained.
PPP deny that its conduct is anti-competitive. Ben Faulkner, media relations officer at PPP said the Heart Hospital had not been included because: “At the current time, it offers a relatively restricted range of treatments which are catered for in other nearby multi-speciality facilities.”
The hospital, part of Singapore’s Parkway group, employs 250 staff. It has the support of nearly 20 leading heart specialists and eight senior consultants.