THE idea that a private patient might be admitted into an NHS bed, undergo surgery in an NHS theatre, or attend consultations in an NHS hospital might come as a surprise, but it is not new – and not necessarily a bad thing. . https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16862327.analysis-private-patient-income-can-benefit-the-nhs-so-long-as-rationing-is-not-used-to-boost-it/