‘Slap in the face’ as health care privatised
COMMUNITY health and urgent care services in West Lancashire will be taken over by a private provider from April 2017.
NHS West Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has announced that Virgin Care will be replacing Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust.
All services commissioned within this process will continue to be provided as part of the NHS and will still be free.
Examples of urgent care services include walk-in centres and GP out of hours.
Claire Heneghan, chief nurse of NHS West Lancashire CCG, said: “This process is about transforming care locally and is a major positive step forward for West Lancashire.
“The aim is to prevent avoidable acute hospital attendance, relieving pressure on such a vital resource.”
Dr John Caine, chair of the CCG, said: “Virgin Care will now work closely with the existing provider, Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust, in the run up to delivering the services from April 1, 2017.”
“Although this is a change in the provider, patients will still receive safe, quality treatment and care during this period of transition.”
A spokesperson for Virgin Care said: “We are really pleased to have been selected to deliver the local vision for urgent and community care across West Lancashire.
“We look forward to continuing our engagement with the local community so we can provide a high quality service that has been shaped by the people who use it”.
West Lancs MP Rosie Cooper called the deciaion “a slap in the face to local NHS providers.”
She said: “West Lancashire CCG have got their way on the urgent care and community health services contracts by awarding them to a private company.
“The CCG have ignored the thousands of West Lancashire residents who expressed their opposition to a private company running frontline health services by signing petitions, campaigning and asking questions.
“My message to the people of West Lancashire is simple. If these services fail you, let me know.”
The announcement comes after a number of criticisms and controversy surrounding the care provided by Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust.