Private sector invited to take over failing hospitals
pharmafile | October 27, 2003 | News story | |
The poorest performing NHS hospitals could now be run by private companies under new plans unveiled by the Government.
Eight private companies, five of them British, have been added to the NHS Franchising Register of Expertise and are invited to submit management proposals for the three hospitals now identified as needing urgent help.
The United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust and the Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust are the first of eight zero-rated trusts selected by the DoH to have their management ranchised.
The Good Hope Hospital in Birmingham will also be forced to change its management after it was downgraded to a zero-star rating following an investigation into its management and reporting of waiting list figures.
Health Secretary Alan Milburn said: "No NHS hospital should be left to sink or swim. No NHS hospital should be denied the best management expertise available if that can improve the standards of care NHS patients receive."
"The Register of Expertise will enable the best managers from outside the NHS to join the best managers within the NHS in turning around struggling hospitals and raising standards for patients."
Sixty two NHS three-star trusts and the Trent Strategic Health Authority are also on the register, and could also bid to run the failing hospitals.
The inclusion of the private firms on the list has provoked renewed criticism from opponents to the franchising idea.
Frank Dobson, Mr Milburn predecessor as Health Secretary, said: "I think it the beginning of a slippery slope, I don think wee got the mandate to do it."
He said the idea had never been discussed within the Labour party or with the public, adding: "The new outside managements can only come from outside sources, either private hospitals, which are usually so small that they have very little relevant experience to run a large NHS hospital, or former NHS managers."
"Some of these will not necessarily have left in the most glorious circumstances."
Dr Beverly Malone, General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, warned that involving the private sector could undermine the principles of the NHS.
"The RCN strongly believes that the delivery of high quality patient care is best achieved using the existing expertise and knowledge of NHS Trusts and where nursing staff are central to decision making," she said.
"NHS trusts are large complex organisations. They employ large numbers of staff from a wide variety of disciplines and provide a broad range of services. Their structures and working practices take time to understand. Therefore it is the RCN strong preference that if management of zero-rated trusts is to be franchised, this should be to existing NHS trusts."
Anthony McKeever from Quo Health told the BBC his company did have the necessary expertise to take on the challenge.
"We do have a team of experienced NHS managers. Like myself they are people who have devoted the greater part of their careers to healthcare and the NHS."
The other companies on the list are: BMI Healthcare Ltd, BUPA Hospitals Ltd, Capio Healthcare UK Ltd, Hospitalia activHealth GmbH, Interhealth Canada Ltd, Secta Group Ltd and Serco Health.
There is also to be greater private involvement in the new fast-track diagnostic and treatment centres for routine surgery.
The Department of Health has invited bids from UK and overseas healthcare providers to run 11 of the centres, with the remaining 12 under NHS management
