An example is engineering and construction group Balfour Beatty, one of the preferred bidders for London Underground PPP, which reported in August that PFIs underpinned its 17% rise in underlying profit growth.
Proposing a motion calling on the BMA to campaign vigourously against the system in England as it has done in Scotland, Dr Ronald Timms, a surgeon in Essex, said PFIs were attractive but flawed.
"Only big companies with hefty asset levels are allowed to bid for PFIs and the need for consortiums demonstrates that even big companies sometimes have trouble meeting the PFI rules, " says James Hastings of the Construction Forecasting and Research group.