As a registered charity, the Ulster Independent Clinic Limited has adopted practices and organisational structures that ensure good governance at all levels of the charitable company. All revenue we receive is reinvested in our services and quality of care.

‍Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is responsible for the entire operation of the Ulster Independent Clinic. The membership ensures a mixed skillset, with individuals drawn from a range of professional backgrounds including medical, business and legal. The monthly meetings provide a forum to examine all aspects of Clinic management and finance. The members of our Board of Directors receive no payment for their professional experience and contributions.

‍How We Work With Our Consultants

‍Medical Advisory Committee

The Medical Advisory Committee operates separately from the charity. It has its own constitution and is responsible for approving and reviewing each consultant’s practising privileges at the Clinic. In the interest of patient safety and wellbeing this process is overseen by the Clinical Governance Committee to ensure regulatory compliance.

‍Practising Privileges 

Practising Privileges are a discretionary personal licence granted to a Consultant to use the Clinic’s facilities in accordance with our policies and procedures. All consultants granted Practising Privileges are independent, self-employed medical practitioners.

In order to gain and retain Practising Privileges, all medical practitioners must: 

• hold a GMC licence to practise
• be able to demonstrate evidence of their clinical experience
• adhere to high standards of professional behaviour
• be on a specialist register relevant to their scope of practice
• hold a substantive NHS consultant post or provide evidence of having done so in the past five years. 

In addition, each consultant must provide evidence of revalidation, annual whole practice appraisal, professional indemnity cover, data protection registration and a number of other criteria.

Transparency on Fees, Income and Remuneration

Unlike other private healthcare facilities, the Ulster Independent Clinic has never allowed incentive schemes that encourage clinicians to refer or treat private patients at their facilities. (Such schemes are now in any case legally prohibited.) 

We do not directly employ consultants, and consultants have no financial interest in the Clinic. Likewise, the members of our Board of Directors receive no payment for their professional experience and contributions. 

Part of our income is derived from the fees consultants bill to patients. In return for this, we provide consultants with a range of services. These are classified in two ways: 

1. Low-value services – which includes in-house training to ensure clinical safety as well as basic workplace amenities such as administration support, canteen facilities, parking, etc.

and

2. Higher-value services – which refers to use of private consulting rooms, office space, secretarial services, etc.

Note: the Clinic is a registered charity and all revenue we receive is reinvested in our services and quality of care. 

By providing transparency around these details, we can offer patients peace of mind around the services and treatments recommended to them by their consultant.

The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority

There is a statutory requirement to meet the standards of the Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (NI) Order 2003 and the Independent Healthcare Regulations (NI) 2005. Thus the Clinic is registered with the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) and is inspected annually to ensure compliance.

The Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN)

PHIN is an organisation that helps people make informed decisions about getting treated in a private hospital. One of the ways it does this is by providing independent information about healthcare facilities, such as the Ulster Independent Clinic, and our consultants.

By visiting the PHIN website (www.phin.org.uk) you will be able to view information such as:

• patient feedback scores
• total number of private day and in-patients admitted
• facilities available

Consultants also have their own profiles, which will tell you:

• specific procedures they carry out

• how experienced they are at a particular procedure 

• other information such as patient experience and satisfaction

• fees

Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs)

All patients undergoing certain operations such as hip replacement, knee replacement, carpal tunnel or cataract surgery – and a range of cosmetic procedures – are invited to complete a questionnaire called a Patient Reported Outcome Measure, or PROM. 

The purpose of a PROM is to collect information about the quality of healthcare services, to help measure the results or outcome of treatment from the patient’s point of view, and ultimately drive overall improvements.

When you come into the Clinic you will be asked to fill in a short questionnaire before your operation. This may be done by email or in person. In a few months’ time you will also receive a post operation questionnaire to complete and return. 

You’re not obliged to complete the PROM. However, your help would be appreciated as it will help us improve the quality of care for all our patients. 

Confidentiality and consent

With your permission, the personal details that you provide will be used to analyse and interpret the information collected. By completing the questionnaire you are giving your consent for your data to be used in this way. 

Rest assured, your personal information will be handled securely in full accordance with current data protection legislation. Furthermore, it will be anonymised after analysis and before any publication.