Dr Sean Preston
Transparency under the CMA Order 2014
All private healthcare operators are required under the Competition and Markets Authority Order 2014 (“The CMA Order”) to be transparent about the relationship between their doctor and the private healthcare operator. Therefore, prospective patients should be aware that (in addition to being permitted to consult with and to treat patients at our facilities) this doctor also has an advisory role with HCA UK and is paid by HCA UK for this advisory role. We describe the nature of the role below, and we indicate how much the doctor has been paid for performing the role since 1 January 2023
Dr Preston provides medical advisory services for HCA's Princess Grace Hospital. In his role, Dr Preston leads interactions with hospital medical staff and the hospital leadership team to assist the hospital by providing medical advice and promote high quality, cost effective care.
In his role, he contributes to the strategy, policies and decision making regarding the Department of Endoscopy and advises HCA to ensure that care provided within the facility is appropriate and efficient. In his role, Dr Preston advises on initiatives to drive clinical standards by providing professional advice on clinical governance matters and ensuring the adoption of those by colleagues in Endoscopy.
In addition, he works with medical insurance companies, GPs, other relevant local NHS contacts, and patients to educate and advise on relevant clinical updates to treatments in Endoscopy available in the facility. Furthermore, he advises on the accuracy of literature that may be published regarding relevant services. He will also advise on how to make the patient referral smooth to reduce stress and anxiety for patients.
He has been central in the redesign of the Endoscopy Unit, in addition to maintaining the Governance structure and represented the Unit at the Medical Advisory Committee. He co-chairs the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department meetings.
Since June 2023, Dr Preston has also been the Medical Director for The Princess Grace Hospital.
Medical Directors are esteemed medical practitioners who know the relevant hospital well. They advise the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer on matters relating to medical practice at the hospital as the need arises. They act as a liaison point for doctors working at the hospital, especially in raising issues with the hospital’s Executive teams of a clinical nature (including matters relating to patient and practitioner safety).
Because of the breadth of the role and the unique specialisms and practices of each HCA hospital, it is not possible to describe neatly all the functions of a Medical Director, but they will typically provide advice in relation to clinical complaints received by the hospital, including helping investigate and respond to investigations involving the General Medical Council or the Care Quality Commission. A key part of the role is to offer their professional assistance, advice and guidance to consultants who practice at the hospital on any areas of their practice that may be giving rise to concern. Medical Directors will provide professional and medical advice on clinical governance matters where requested by hospital or HCA UK leadership.
HCA UK is charged by doctors in return for their expertise and advice, including on how to operate safe hospital facilities delivering complex care. In 2023 the total paid to Dr Preston for his medical advisory services was £153,201.
If a doctor provides HCA UK with medical advisory services and also practises in the NHS, HCA UK requires that doctor to attest that he/she is not compromising his/her NHS commitments in so doing.