Confusion over role of private and third sector
NHS organisations are the “preferred provider” of state-funded healthcare and should
be given the chance to offer redesigned services before they are put out to tender,
the health secretary said on 30 September, in what appeared to be a marked shift
in government policy. The Dept of Health will be issuing guidance advising that
NHS organisations must be given “at least two formal chances” to improve where they
are under-performing. Even then, other potential providers should be considered
only where the under-performance is “significant”, according to the draft guidance
agreed with the health service unions.
Where services are failing on quality or patient satisfaction, NHS organisations
should be given an opportunity to improve, said Health Secretary, Andy Burnham.
If that does not happen, there should be “perhaps a more formal request for improvement”,
after which there should not be any bar to their services being put out to tender,
he said.”
Former health Secretary Alan Milburn spoke out against this line. “I disagree with
Andy Burnham when he said the NHS should be the preferred provider. There should
be no preferred provider. Quality should be the only yardstick, not the type of
provider.”
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