DoH ‘not to proceed with private partnership in south-west’

The Department of Health (DoH) has announced that it will not proceed with a planned diagnostic services partnership with Atos Healthcare in the south-west of England.

It reports that this decision was reached after it surmised that the firm would be unable to meet its obligations to establish these services according to the prearranged timetable.

However, the government reports that the strategic health authority will continue to use existing contractors to provide these services, with the NHS still on course to meet its local waiting time targets.

Ben Bradshaw, minister of state for health services, said: “Diagnostic services will continue to be provided by local trusts and other local independent sector organisations in the area to ensure patients continue to been seen quickly and the NHS locally continues to make progress cutting waiting times.”

He added that the government remains committed to the introduction of independent sector healthcare providers to the NHS when these firms meet a need for capacity at a local level while providing value for money.

Atos Healthcare has over 4,000 employees and claims to be only second to the NHS in the number doctors with which it engages.

Earlier this month, Atos Consulting announced the appointment of Sunil Patel to the firm to focus on developing business with the NHS, DoH and other healthcare organisations.