Thread by @samholdertv

I spent months investigating the controversial private company that runs the biggest network of GP practices in the #NHS.

I'm delighted to have worked with @BBCPanorama to develop the story I uncovered into a documentary airing tonight on BBC 1.

bbc.co.uk/news/health-61…

For anyone interested in the future of the #NHS, check out this thread with the findings 👇

➡️ Operose Health provides GP services to around 600,000 patients.

➡️ One senior expert warns they are being put at risk thanks to a policy of using less qualified medical staff without proper supervision.

➡️ Operose employs half the number of GPs (per thousand patients) than the national average.

➡️ The company uses a high number of Physican Associates - who've completed 2 years of postgraduate studies.

GPs have around 10 years of training.

➡️ Operose is owned by Centene = a multi-billion dollar US health insurance firm.

Centene has been involved in a number of controversial lawsuits.

➡️ Centene has set aside $1.1bn to settle allegations of fraud with 22 States in the US.

The State of Ohio accused Centene of "fleecing taxpayers" through the Medicaid program.

➡️ Operose became the biggest NHS GP operator in February 2021, merging with another company called AT Medics.

➡️ Undercover filming found a backlog of thousands of medical reports, test results and hospital letters.

➡️ Some Operose admin staff said they used Google to determine whether letters needed to be sent on to a doctor.

🏥 For many critics, this is an example of NHS privatisation happening in slow motion.

💰 One expert says the company Operose appears to be putting profit over patient care.

Watch the full documentary on @BBCPanorama tonight.

#NHS #Operose

Shout out to
- Producer @Charlie_Mole
- Assistant Prod @RSheikh26
- Exec Leo Telling
- Editor Karen Wightman

One more thing - this wouldn't have been possible without the doctors, nurses etc who spoke to me and gave me evidence while I was first investigating.

I'm not going to name them (for obvious reasons), but a big thank you to you all.

#NHS #operose

bbc.co.uk/news/health-61…

And of course a big shout out to the excellent @Jacqui_wak (who is allowed to have twitter again)!

Superb undercover work!

bbc.co.uk/news/health-61…

🚨 UPDATE 🚨

The findings of our investigation into #Operose and the #NHS were discussed in parliament by @wesstreeting

https://twitter.com/wesstreeting/status/1536693389533519878?s=19