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Peterborough’s PCT rapped over GP ‘conflict of interests’
News from The Peterborough Evening Telegraph, www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk
CONTENTIOUS plans to merge or close several GP surgeries has been delayed again after a watchdog criticised Peterborough’s primary care trust for failing to avoid a conflict of interests.
The Co-operation and Competition Panel (CCP) in responding to a complaint submitted by 3Well Medical, which runs the at-risk Alma Road Surgery, found that NHS Peterborough had acted inappropriately by involving doctors Mike Caskey and Harshad Mistry in its plans to revamp the structure of GP surgeries across the city.
Dr Caskey is the lead GP commissioner for NHS Peterborough while Dr Mistry is the GP urgent care commissioning lead, but both are also GPs at the Park Medical Practice and Thomas Walker Surgery respectively, which could potentially benefit from the changes proposed by the consultation: “The Right Care at the Right Time”.
The CCP report said: “We found that the involvement by NHS Peterborough of two clinicians in lead, influential roles, in a service reconfiguration consultation process was not appropriate in circumstances where those clinicians were associated with providers that would be directly affected, and might gain, from the process itself.”
The CCP intends to recommend to health secretary Andrew Lansley that an independent body of clinicians report on the three options put forward by NHS Peterborough.
The primary care trust has stated a preference to enact Option 3, which would see the closure of Alma Road, Lincoln Road and Burghley Road surgeries; merging surgeries in Parnwell, Dogsthorpe and Welland; while extending surgeries in North Street, Orton Goldhay and Hampton - saving the trust £6 million.
But Mr Lansley won’t decide on the CCP’s advice until mid-February at the earliest, meaning the cost-saving proposals will be delayed again, despite originally being earmarked for approval in September.
The CCP has also recommended the PCT improve its measures to prevent conflicts of interest.
Peter Wightman, interim director of primary care at NHS Peterborough, said: “There have been cost implications of delaying the implementation of the strategy and there may be costs associated with setting up an external review.”
Other CCP findings praised the PCT for carrying out the consultation with an open mind; looking at a wide range of options; and offering the patients plenty of choice despite possible closures of GP practices.
3Well medical director Dr Rupert Bankart said: “We welcome the CCP’s conclusion that there was a conflict of interest which affected particularly in our case the consultation over the future of Alma Road.
“We look forward to working with the CCP and GP colleagues on the process of correcting the impact of the CCP’s actions.”
To comment on the recommendations made by the CCP, email cases@ccpanel.gsi.gov.uk or call 0207 270 5653 before February 10.
Chief: ‘No conflict of interests’
NHS Peterborough chief executive Dr Sushil Jathanna was adamant that there was no conflict of interests in involving doctors Caskey and Mistry in the plans.
He said: “We do not believe there has been any actual conflict of interest and that the clinicians...have not profited in any way from this process.
“We drew on their expertise...in helping explain how systems work. They were not involved in developing the proposals, nor would the have been involved in making final decisions.”
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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south-of-the-river-man
Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 02:20 PMThere should be no Conflict of Interest within the NHS, they should all be working together. It's the fault of the Department of Health for mucking about with the health service to create areas where conflicts of interest arise.
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