zlacker

All the GP practices in England are private businesses working under contract to the NHS. Most people don't notice since the majority of services are covered under that contract.

https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-analysis/long-reads...

>>harvey+(OP)
Yes they are but they are indeed service providers as you mention.

That's quite different from a private practice (like a solicitor here) that you pay directly and/or that seeks payment from health insurance.

>>mytail+ib
There are a great many things that the NHS pays practices for on a unit basis which is very much like them seeking payment from an insurer. The system has a far lower administrative cost than the USA model but the contract management process still looks more like a plate of spaghetti and not a circuit diagram.