HINCHINGBROOKE Hospital is set to become a "franchise" which could be taken over by a private firm, it has emerged.
The East of England Strategic Health Authority (SHA) has revealed its “emerging preferred option” for the future of the hospital – which has debts of almost £40 million – is to put the running of medical services out to tender.
Either a private fi
rm or another hospital could be brought in to take over. Dr Stephen Dunn of the SHA told Cambridgeshire County Council’s Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee: “We will be going through a competitive process, so you can be absolutely sure we will be getting the best deal.”
North West Cambridgeshire MP Shailesh Vara expressed concern. He said: “Having received assurances in the past that there would be no future major upheavals I’m disappointed that matters have now reached this stage. I very much hope that we will not now see a reduction in the quality and effectiveness of the outstanding services that the hospital provides.”
Hinchingbrooke’s problems prompted a major consultation on its future last year, after which it was suggested the hospital could be scaled down on a smaller site. Almost one third of the land was earmarked for sale, with a redesign of services seen as likely to produce annual savings of £14.5 million.
Hospital chief executive Mark Millar said there were no plans to sell off parts of the site.
Instead, the SHA is looking at converting the hospital into a franchise, under which the land, assets and staff would remain with the NHS.
The plan is being developed as time ticks down on Hinchingbrooke Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, which is likely to be disbanded next April.
The full article contains 296 words and appears in Peterborough ET newspaper.
