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Protest as NHS set to confirm private partnership hospital

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"These deals could lock the NHS into expensive contracts"
Published Date: 30 January 2007
By LYNDSAY MOSS
HEALTH CORRESPONDENT
'Super hospital' to replace Falkirk and Stirling Royal Infirmaries at Larbert SNP against private finance and would use only public money if elected Elsewhere, a private bid to run a North Lanarkshire GP surgery is refused
Key quote
"There is a deep concern that these deals may not represent value for money and could lock the NHS into potentially expensive contracts for many years." - spokeswoman for British Medical Association

Story in full A HEALTH board is today expected to confirm that a new £300 million hospital will be built under a controversial private finance partnership.

NHS Forth Valley will make an announcement about the fate of the planned "super hospital" in Larbert after its board meeting this morning. But the SNP is protesting against the scheme amid concern over other similar projects which have been plagued by financial difficulties.

The party says it is "deeply concerned" about the plans for the hospital, which will replace Falkirk Royal Infirmary and Stirling Royal Infirmary. It is also thought there is disquiet within the health board about plans to go down the private partnership route.

The move comes after the prisons company Serco yesterday lost its bid to become the first private firm to run a GP practice in Scotland.

Last year NHS Forth Valley indicated that it believed a partnership project for its Larbert hospital would prove the best value for money, rather than using public cash. It said that after a "tough and rigorous process" to select a partner to work with, it had chosen Equion, part of the construction company Laing, as its preferred bidder for the project.

The SNP said it strongly feared that this decision would be officially confirmed today by the board - paving the way for the biggest private partnership project of its kind in Scotland.

SNP MSPs Michael Matheson and Bruce Crawford will join protesters at the NHS Forth Valley HQ in Stirling.

Shona Robison, SNP health spokeswoman, said the party would stop any future partnership projects. "An SNP government will match the current hospital building programme brick for brick and offer a Scottish Futures Trust as a new, better-value option for future infrastructure funding," she said.

"We want a scheme which doesn't take money away from frontline services."

The British Medical Association also opposes partnership projects to build hospitals. A spokeswoman said: "There is a deep concern that these deals may not represent value for money and could lock the NHS into potentially expensive contracts for many years."

The BMA welcomed the decision not to award the contract to run the Harthill GP surgery in North Lanarkshire to Serco.

NHS Lanarkshire announced yesterday that the contract had been awarded to Dr Louise Eccles and Dr Alan Grant. Dr Eccles was one half of the partnership that ran the surgery before it went up for tender.

When looking for someone to run the surgery, NHS Lanarkshire decided to open up tendering to "alternative health providers" as well as GPs. The board received three bids - one from Serco and two from GP practices.

The BMA spokeswoman said: "We welcome the decision to award the contract to two GPs."

A Serco spokesman said: "Obviously we are disappointed but the fact that we reached the final stage indicates we put together a good proposal. We believe the NHS is benefiting from our expertise in managing services."

Andy Kerr, the health minister, commented: "I have said on many occasions that the interests of patients must always come first and that I saw no need for the traditional model of GP provision to change. I am delighted that the panel of the board have awarded the contract to Dr Eccles and Dr Grant."

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1

www.scottwebb.co.uk,

30/01/2007 01:53:59

The sooner we get these bought and paid for numpty agenda merchants out....The better for the people of Scotland :)

2

Bill, Dunblane,

30/01/2007 01:56:49

Aw cum on, if we dinna' accept PFI, nobodys gonna make ony money oot o' the pair sick folk.

Hospitals isnae for helpin' folk wi ailments - it's a' aboot makin profits fur share hauders.

Ur ye's thick or sumthin'?

And how much do you think the car park costs will be?

3

Wisnaeme,

Sent to Coventry. 30/01/2007 02:06:53

This is in essence a New Labour Westminster decision with the full backing of Brown jobbie in order to erm restrain public spending and balance the books in the short term.Another New labour policy that does not quite deliver as promised. Kerr and McConnell,New Labour branch management are not acting in the best interests of Scotland by continuing to be message boys for New Labour HQ policy. Short time gain, long time pain is the definition of PFI scams. Anyone care to name one single PFI partnership scheme that has actually given value for money or proven to be best pratice? Not to mention that downsizing is a PFI speciality and a very dangerous practice indeed.

4

JamesC,

Singapore 30/01/2007 02:51:15

Let me say firstly that i am strong believer that the private sector will always run things better than the public sector.
Public sector employees in the United Kingdom are for the most part welfare recipients.
However i must say that the idea that the public sector qaungocrats with the help of there millions of pounds in consultants will be able to get a good deal from the PFI companies building hospitals is risible.
Gordon brown knows that these deals are wildly more expensive than raising the money through the issuance of govt bonds.
He knows however that if you give these morons in the public secor huge amounts of cash the thing will cost 10 times the original cost.
Look at the Scottish parliment.
The fact that 25 percent of the scottish workforce is employed in the public sector tells you all you need to know about scotland's prospects.
You are doomed to mediocrity.

5

Pete39,

Tassy 30/01/2007 05:34:09

No JamesC, Scotland has been trained to accept mediocrity. I would expect that the Scotland Futures Trust would be run by the private sector. The NHS would stipulate the type of development, and the Scottish Executive would put the work out to tender. Remembering of course that if they made a total hash of the job, not only would they get a lot of publicity but they would not get the finance either.
Worried about the investment level, in your dreams laddy. Not only would it be morally acceptable but there are quite a few Scots round the world that would shift their money to earn a fraction over that offered by the banks and have the pleasure of contributing towards Scotland's future. If you really live in Singapore you should know that to succeed you just have to have determination, positive thinking and the ability to break any rule that has been set on you by folk who think they know better. Rob Roy, one of our national heroes was a cattle rustler, need I say more.

6

SC,

Dundee 30/01/2007 06:49:09

What we need is real privatisation...not State borrowing disguised as PFI.

I want nor need anything from the State. I am willing to pay for those at the bottom 20% of the population who cannot contribute to their own services. The rest of you - get some insurance!

On 5Live yesterday they raised the prospect of having to pay for all NHS services.

OH MY GOD!

The future NHS - a stalinist, centrally planned, zero customer service, nanny knows best system that you have to pay for and you still can't choose who gets your business!!!!!!

7

Douglas,

Bathgate 30/01/2007 09:15:15

Why does anything in the UK lauded with the prefix "super" always disappoint?
As an aside, how much must they be charging for parking when it's that empty?

8

morris,

edinburgh 30/01/2007 10:43:59

Health is the highest priority known to man because there is nothing else if you do not have your health (ie dead)The health service is above all other services one which should run for its value to the community and should never be in private hands either wholly or partly in any shape or form.We have a choice, a National Health Service or a National Wealth Service.You only have to look at the USA to see whats wrong with privatisation in areas like health.People die daily there because they cannot afford treatment! WE need a single service which is run and financed from the Public Purse and whose only priority is excellence.There is no better value for money than excellence!
There are many PFI units in this country now,none of them have shown any degree of success in a health sense,and cost the NHS money in the long term, which should have been used for patient care.If this is such a good idea why is it that there are hardly any NHS staff (who are in the front line and have the best possible view point) are in favour of them?The answer is simple THEY DONT DELIVER HEALTH as their priority,they deliver profits and sometimes not even that!
Play with other peoples lives and you play with your own !
The British Medical Association has spelled it out loud and clear THIS IS MADNESS!If anybody knows what is good for the nations health provision surely its the BMA whose sole purpose in existing is to ensure the quality of the nations health!
The state has a responsibilty to provide the best service available and politicians are charged with delivery of that service,not short term gain which might help re elect them and we pay in the future and eventually we have to adopt private health care because the NHS has no resources left to deliver anything with. We already know that they do not deliver value for money to the people who need the health care.Why are we allowing these Blairite numpties to govern? Countless studies have concluded that this is

9

ddmc,

30/01/2007 11:03:00

It's like the old 'world class <insert your choice>" tripe, we dont want world class we just want something that works well & efficiently without costing a fortune, Govt & the Executive seem to think by claiming facilities are 'world class' it justifies the massive costs & overruns. PFI may work well for us now, but what about future generations who will be paying the tab for it. Typical of the spend now, pay later attitude which we seem to have & the bsnks etc love promoting, just look at how much debt the average person is in.

10

Calum10,

30/01/2007 11:08:17

PFI Hospital = MRSA Hotspot.

11

Capital C,

Edinburgh 30/01/2007 11:25:00

Was at a meeting last night hearing about Neighbourhood Partnerships. Someone has realised its a good idea to ask taxpayers what they want their money spent on!
The meeting heard lots of sceptical people deride the idea, but I think once the teething troubles are sorted it offers a real opportunity for people to put their money where their mouth is.
The NHS is surely a prome example of faceless beuraucrats making fiscal decisions on purely fiscal merits. I know there are purse strings to consider but remember the S in NHS is for SERVICE.
Its a public service and despite its failings is still the envy of most other developed countries.
Why don't the politicians stop acting like invertebrates and put income tax up 1or2% and let us pay for the service we deserve?

12

GP,

30/01/2007 11:45:22

A vote for labour is a vote for thatchers conserative agenda.
When will the people awaken?
especially in the west!
Labour have failed Scotland for 50 years now with promise after promise being broken. NEVER since Atlee have they delivered. They are devoid of real community values and are all out self centered capitalists of the worst kind. No matter what you say at least with a Tory you know exactly what you are letting yourself in for.

13

Dancer,

Edinburgh 30/01/2007 12:11:58

No. 4 I am dam glad you live in Sinkingpoor as you sure aint welcome in Scotland. EVER.

14

ExileBlue,

Batgate 30/01/2007 12:21:43

Hey Morris. I am "in the front line" as you say. The NHS as it stands is failing to deliver - and like much in the UK today is over supplied with administration. Not very good ones at that. As for the BMA - don't make me laugh. In my view there are far too many "numpties" in charge more concerned with protecting their "space" than investing in health care for the public. Financial wastage is appaling, especially when taken into account alongside falling staff resources and spiralling costs. However the truly sad/infuriating aspect is that complaints/suggestions are falling on deaf ears. Many of the "managers" in positions of authority have absolutely no concept regarding long term goals. More resources are spent on PR pamphlets to the public and staff in a misguided belief that if "we" continually tell "them" how we are improving the service - an oxymoron if ever there was one - they will believe it. There is no one reason as to why the NHS is continuing to fail, however, the only fact that cannot be doubted, as it stands - IT IS FAILING.

15

Sedov,

Scotland 30/01/2007 12:34:16

Looking at the headlines again this week they make grim reading for New Labour and they deserve all the stick that is going. We spend billions on wars instead of our NHS. However, we must look beyond labourism at the deeper issues that are causing a crisis of capitilism throughout the western world. Our rulers now use the fear of terrorism to replace the fear of nuclear attack of the post war cold war. This is to keep us compliant against a background of failure. In these circumstances it is undestandable that working people turn to other alternatives such as nationalism or just dont bother about anything. This is not the time to keep our heads down or find solace from the "nation state" under so called independence but a time to unit eall the workers of the world against our common enemy. Its barbarism or socialism, time is running out.

16

John B Dick,

Rothesay 30/01/2007 12:44:19

It's just the same as putting it on your credit card at higher cost in the long run.

You need to ignore that unpleasant fact if you are a free market fundamentaist as is

4. JamesC, Singapore / 2:51am 30 Jan 2007

"Let me say firstly that I am strong believer that the private sector will always run things better than the public sector."

Notice that he uses the word "belief". Belief is a mattter of faith, not reason. My English teacher told us that "There is a lie at the centre of every belief" and at the time I thought he was just talking about spelling, but now I'm not so sure.

You don't need to be an Islamic fundamentalist nutter to cause a lot of damage, a free market one (or a Marxist) will do just as well.

If the private sector had the magic touch that believers claim, it would be where cost savings are obtained from economies of scale. This could be the case where a small rural hospital might use a commercial laundry for example, but a competitive market in such services does not exist in rural areas. The private sector will always cherry-pick the most profitable areas leaving the NHS to deal with the more difficult ones, thus raising its average costs higher and "proving" that it is inefficient.

17

Faye,

Scotland 30/01/2007 13:46:45

#11 Capital C. Labour has done what Tories could only dream about! PFI is a disgrace.

If the Tories get in they will go about finishing the job that labour has started, privatising the NHS and public services.

SNP is right. Taxpayers money,taxpayer ownership.

Private companies and corporations are receiving subsidies from the taxpayer. Just think about all these fat cat bosses with huge share portfolios, fat pension schemes - the taxpayer is being robbed.

See this link. Scroll down to the picture, 4th paragraph below and you will see that for every £1 rail fare, cost to the British Taxpayer £8-10!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/beeching_prog2.shtml


What will be the figures for the NHS and other public services?

The problem we have seems to be that there is no-one independently looking after the taxpayer to ensure good value for money.

We need an independent financial wizard to ensure that the TAXPAYER is getting the very best deals for buying equipment medical supplies etc.

Afterall, just look at the amount of stock the taxpayer buys.

18

fiferjohn,

30/01/2007 14:08:28

pfi will mean money from taxes going straight into the building companies hands instead of going to were it is needed .good hygeine costs money so things like mrsa can be kept under control. i think a report a while back said as much as 50-60% of the bugdets goes on paying the the pfi back now thats a hell of a lot of money to take away from the hospitals running costs . also to many suits employed in the nhs and a lot is just jobs for the boys .

19

abittotheleft,

Norwich 30/01/2007 14:18:24

Private finance is the name, profit is the game.
The public sector must be set free to deliver high quality services. It can and should be supported to do so!
There is a PFI hospital here in Norwich - it is a disgrace to the health economy. Scotland show us the way!

20

Carlisle,

Kent 30/01/2007 14:46:17

Healthcare projects under the PFI are negative value for money costing the public purse up to 600% over and above the true construction/running costs, furthermore the facilities are unfit for purpose in that the present design criteria lacks any hard, field based evidence for design, and is the prime cause of Hospital Acquired Infections which has increased from 5000 deaths in 1999 to 40,000 deaths 2006. 100,000 infections to 750,000 respectively. The Audit Offices in England and Scotland are to blame for this mess and should be scrapped in that they are wholly incapable of their mission in “Helping the Country Spend Wisely”.

C H. Ryton

21

Fernie,

30/01/2007 15:29:05

If you put health care in private hands, things will not only not improve, there will be many more people figuring out new ways to line their pockets with money that should be spent on patient care. There will be incentives for reducing the cost of patient care, and all those cost "reductions", some of which cause needless deaths or very expensive complications, will go straight into bonus money for the bean-counter who decides that cleanliness, for example, is not so terribly important, we can certainly cut some corners with that if it means a nicer bottom line. Putting peoples' lives in the hands of those who tend to look at everything as a source of potential personal profit is very dangerous.

22

Il Penseroso,

Inverurie 30/01/2007 16:52:31

In any future parts of, not only, the NHS but other public bodies we will never know where the money is going. The Executive and private companies have got off the financial hook for years by saying that because of "commercial confidentiality" we are kept in the dark! What utter bull! It is our money and we should always have access to the financial accounts. This is a cover up too far and legislation should be enacted to remove this anomaly forthwith.

23

Haggismaker,

Northern Bohemia 30/01/2007 17:10:54

Scotland really ought not to be seen offering the health of its citizens for sale to the highest bidder.

24

Theo,

Richmond Va., USA 30/01/2007 20:03:32

I would say the proof is in the pudding! Living in a country where all medical is pay-as-you-go privatization of health matters is no big deal. There are accounting practices recognized world around that will make sure you are getting a fair shake. Reading the Scotsman for many months I have see the shortcomings of NHS. I read of times when people are driven to a form of private practice because it would take many months to be seen in the normal route.

Why not have the health service pay a part of the cost if you seek a private health group? The cost is already been figured in the tax's and whatever for public health coverage. Why not be able to have that figure per visit made available for seeking care privately?

25

Joel,

Edinburgh 30/01/2007 20:13:39

With an already overextended public sector, especially in Scotland, PFI is the ONLY way we will be able to afford major new public sector capital investment - simple! And the idea that MRSA only breeds in PFI built hopitals - get a life please.

26

Banana Heid,

Ayrshire 30/01/2007 20:45:21

I just realised there's good money to be made in sickness. I'm gonna open a placebo factory. anyone want a job ?

27

Haggismaker,

Northern Bohemia 30/01/2007 20:55:57

Banana split - I'm richt in there wi ye. Let's share the vast profits atween wirsels. Bit lik a' yin idder PFIs dae.

28

Mentorscotus,

30/01/2007 21:34:17

Just in time for an influx from the Monklands..
40 min journey.

29

morris,

edinburgh 30/01/2007 21:58:53

14

Perhaps I have not made it clear that I agree with you entirely, (for which I appologise)
I do not by the way defend the BMA ,merely point out that they are opposed to PFI,and whatever shortcomings and self preservation attitudes are evident,its clear that support for PFI is rock bottom.
This is as you say already falling apart,and will continue to do so.
Faced with the choice of paying higher taxes and paying with one's life Ill pay the taxes gladly.
We are still the no5 economy and there is no excuse for failure to maintain what was once the envy of the western world.Most countries would rejoice at achieving what we have (even now),and we are intent upon its destruction.This is as gross a dereliction of duty (by our politicians) as I can ever imagine.

30

DocJ,

Tijuana Norte 30/01/2007 22:28:46

The best medical care here in Tijuana Norte is always at private hospitals where the employees actually have to do work and treat people or they get fired unlike public hospitals where unionized employees, as far as I can tell, do as little as possible and cannot get fired...............Private hospitals have to provide the best care, doctors, nurses and facilities because if they don't, the customers go away and they go out of business.....public facilities have no problem with needing to provide services because all they have to do is ask the government for more tax money to fund their ineptitude.....

31

DocJ,

Tijuana Norte 30/01/2007 22:40:26

15..I agree ....the time for socialism is running out.......it is a miserable failure everywhere it has ever been tried..........

32

DocJ,

Tijuana Norte 30/01/2007 22:42:32

6 - The future NHS - a stalinist, centrally planned, zero customer service, nanny knows best system that you have to pay for and you still can't choose who gets your business!!!!!!

How is that different from any socialist governmen run entity be it medical, education, electricity or anything else?

33

Doctor T,

Edinburgh 31/01/2007 00:43:33

To anyone who thinks PFI is a good idea all I can say is "RIE! RIE! RIE!" (RIE=Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh). I work there and it's a well documented DISASTER.

34

fiferjohn,

31/01/2007 08:03:14

#25 Joel it is happening in hospitals now where bean counters are cutting costs on cleaning staff and materials .so whats going to happen when a greater cut of the budget goes on paying for the hospital the first thing cut is the cost and from first hand knowledge it will be staff and buying in cheaper products there was a news report showing that is happening now so it is not going to change or get better wiyh less money in the pot

35

Pete39,

Tassy 31/01/2007 08:22:53

Nothing against Mr Attlee, but I seem to remember he introduced the Peanut scheme and the Rhode Island Red scheme before he finally got the impulse to realise that folk wanted their life back to normal and would prefer to rely on their own efforts. Winston Churchill was not elected for the fact that most soldiers had experience their treatment by the establishment during the war and came home with a certain dedication in their mind.
No, looking back on it, it was what had to happen.
What really gets up my back is that you have had so many people making the effort, politicians following a career that has more downsides than positive attitudes, and even after that you still will not make the effort to turn out and vote. No, there is not a lot wrong with Scotland, just one or two who think that they are Scots. Just as a matter of interest, how the hell did I get into this thread. I seem to remember discussing some other topic, must be the booze.


 

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