BUPA Physiotherapy Tender Process

[thephysiosvoice]

Where to start.....

1. I think you are correct. This is a Walmart proposal. Stack 'em high, sell 'em low. Physio is just physio. Doesn't matter by whom or where or even what....really?
2. Physiofirst are spineless and don't want to tussle with the Big Boys incase their cred is dented and the CSP has to look to and protect the "majority of it's members" i.e not the group who represent the private sector. The CSP seem to forget that like it or not, the private sector is often the public image of physio and so should give us just a modicom of respect.
3. Chiros and Osteos only represent a small percentage of relative treatment cost, so go for the biggest group - us.
4. Forget CPD. Read Frontline - that's 50% of your yearly CPD. Do it twice - et voila.
5. Eggs in one basket....
6. Unfortunately they will if this is allowed to succeed.
7. BUPA have an elaborate method of assessing and evaluating by getting us or monkeys to fill out an online form
8. No. I'm sure your folks always told you to be careful what you put your signature to - and if in doubt, don't.
9. If BUPA get their way we wont have to worry about this. We'll be told what to do, to what bit for how long. Think dank basements, think robots. Forget 2012 and the Olympic Dream.

You are not alone - the more I listen the more I hear other Physio's crying out for help. We're a pretty mean bunch when we communicate with one another and get things done.

The Physio's Voice is there for every single Physio in the land to have a voice. If you get a lot a people in a room and all whisper, you actually make quite a racket....Please look at the blog thephysiosvoice.co.uk and get involved and tell your mates too.

Cheers

TPV

[londonphysio]

mr manipulator, what i could tell you could really make your hair curl! I will not elaborate as i would not put it past the protagonists to sue me for libel. (and they would be identifiable from the most serious of allegations) My reference to successful business models was a thinly veiled finger pointing towards those practices that I know, have this approach as a policy. I find that those practices are as guilty, or even more so, of interfering with a physio's autonomy than BUPA currently are.

[physiobob]

mr manipulator, what i could tell you could really make your hair curl! I will not elaborate as i would not put it past the protagonists to sue me for libel. (and they would be identifiable from the most serious of allegations) My reference to successful business models was a thinly veiled finger pointing towards those practices that I know, have this approach as a policy. I find that those practices are as guilty, or even more so, of interfering with a physio's autonomy than BUPA currently are.

We all understand where you are coming from and indeed I could name a few of them as well. This however does not have a bearing on the tender issue. It does of course on your financial and local business viability issues. I have always found that doing a good job gets you business, perhaps not as fast a growing clinics as others but a more stable, more loyal client base. This becomes highly important in situations like those we are currently in. The 'Big Guys' are usually billing a lot on the old PMI cheque book and so they are the ones forced to tender or lose some staff. The small, high quality, stable practice with excellent word of mouth won't be affected much at all with no BUPA referrals. And if they're good their clients will come back anyway.

In a world where tenders are the winners you'll have both those large highly competitive practices and a PMI driving your prices down....surely a place worse off?..

[londonphysio]

not if you refuse to drop your prices. I think, for central London, having 40% self paying patients is pretty high. The only reason my BUPA % is high is because of a corporate contract. I have tried to diversify the way my patients are funded and not 'put my eggs in one basket', but in central london the fact is that the majority of patients will be claiming on their work policy. I have takent he view that it is best to fight this from within. I agree that the tender as stands may be the thin end of the wedge, but I can 'out statistic' pretty much anyone. I audit 100% of patient notes for example.
I think other peoples practices are relevant in this discussion. I think they have brought this on us. I am not surprised that BUPA says that 80% of the physio bill goes to 10% of practices. With a variation of £20+ between the cheapest and the most expensive physio 30 min sessions in central London, it is quite feasible that the cost could easy be quadruple when comparing one practice to another, in the same area, if you take sessional averages into account.
Until we can evaluate outcomes reliably, this cannot be justified. this is why i take outcome measures for all patients, even if they are not deemed reliable at present. It is my 'insurance policy' against further, more sinister actions by the PMIs.

[Chartered Physiotherapist]

I think a very clear dividing line is being drawn between practices that have had to tender because of their high proportion of Bupa patients and those that have a low amount.

I am outside London and PMI patients account for 20% of my list. Of that Bupa and AXAPPP make up most of the insurance work.

From a purely business point of view, I have not been forced to tender.

[ckaren]

What happens next?
I didn't tender so do I just keep accepting/treating BUPA patients until advised by BUPA?
My latest BUPA patient this morning has been told that she has to phone for a new authorisation number on May 1st and isn't sure whether it is just that it is her policy renewal date or that they wil ask her to go to another physio.

[Mr Manipulator]

Hi 'ckaren', Looking at everything that came with the process, the cut off date for authorisations on the old system is 15.5.09, after which the new network (such as it might be) goes live on 17.5.09.

However, it will be intersting to see if BUPA has enough people to form a network and, if they haven't, the above could change!

Looking at the polls here and on thephysiosvoice.co.uk they might have a bit of a problem. I sincerely hope they do!!

Even if they don't to start with, they probably will down the line when their client base starts to complain about availability of choice of practitioner.

[alasdairjon]

Just thought I'd let you know, I received the following email after informing several government ministers of BUPA's "process". Perhaps another helping hand to come? Also, If ANY of you are Federation of Small Business members, they would love to hear from you. They are one group which do lobby hard on behalf of their members, and advised me to speak to my local MP, giving me details of the direct line to him in the Houses of Parliament. Believe me, the FSB could be an invaluable tool in our fight.

Email as follows
"

Thank you for your email regarding BUPA's change in their service terms that affect physiotherapists. I am passing your email to Stephen O'Brien MP, Shadow Health Minister, who leads on this issue for his consideration.

Yours sincerely

Andrew Lansley "

Keep fighting. From within, or without.

[archersusie]

Has anyone emailed the BBC Watchdog yet, they are running a series on Insurance Companies at the moment and this would probably be of interest to them.

[JacobI]

Dear archersusie - I hope you have? I wrote to Jane Dreaper last week, and have had two replies, unfortunately, as you can see on TV, she is rather occupied with Swine flu at the moment, but I did urge her to read the discussion here and on physiosvoice, and to check FIPO, as they have the connection with the opthalmologists, and to look at the original prees release form CSP. Maybe you can do the same to Watchdog.