Question to Wiltshire Health Trust: Does new Private Treatment Centre threaten NHS Community Hospitals?

8.20.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 9th Nov 2006

The Chief Executive of the new Wiltshire Primary Care Trust (PCT), Jeff James, has rejected reports that the government's approval for an 'Independent Sector Treatment Centre' in Devizes further threatens the future of the area's NHS-run community hospitals.

At Thursday's PCT Board Meeting, Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate Duncan Hames, who chairs West Wiltshire District Council's Audit Committee asked from the public gallery:

Duncan Hames supporting the Trade Unions' 'NHS Together' rally in Westminster earlier this month. The NHS Together campaign highlights the growing privatisation of NHS services.

"Does the announcement that an Independent Sector Treatment Centre is planned for Devizes affect the viability of current or proposed 'next generation' NHS-run community hospitals?".

The PCT's new Chief Executive asserted that it would not - to any significant extent. PCT Director, Mr Nicholas Gillard went on to argue that most of the services the independent treatment centre would provide would be focused on general and day surgery currently typically performed outside of the county.

"I welcome this assurance, and to be fair to the local trust, these private treatment centres weren't their idea." says Cllr Hames

"As the local NHS' debts continue to grow, many people in the community had begun to think that delays in reaching a decision on Wiltshire's community hospitals, meant that the chances of securing any next generation community hospitals in West Wiltshire were growing faint." he observed.

"However, it would be short-sighted to conclude that the way the Government in introducing these private treatment centres is not damaging to the NHS. NHS hospitals are not given a level playing field on which to compete. These private treatment centres are better paid for each treatment they will provide, are guaranteed a minimum level of funding however many operations they are referred, and can cherry-pick the simplest cases thereby raising the average cost of the treatments provided by NHS hospitals. That's not value for money, and at the end of the day, it's the PCT as the commissioner of services who will face those increased costs." he added.