UNISON is calling on the George Eliot Hospital Trust to rethink its plans after an announcement that appears designed to drive the Nuneaton hospital down the franchising route and a possible private-sector takeover.
The union’s West Midlands region believes that further examination of the situation is needed, with serious consideration of the possibility of the hospital continuing as a stand-alone operator – particularly as the current procurement process has already effectively been on hold for a year.
Regional organiser Edna Hall said that the union recognised that the climate is now different, following the Francis and Keogh reports, and the outcome of the recent legal challenge at Lewisham Hospital.
She went on to say that the franchising approach has already been tried at Hinchingbrook Hospital, which then ran into major difficulties, with the NHS needing to pump more money in since Circle took over.
Circle, a private company, has failed to deliver the savings it promised, added Ms Hall.
“This approach is fraught with risk. The Trust Development Authority states in its report to the board that the proposal has been ‘rigorously tested’, yet it provides no evidence to support this.”
Ms Hall said: “The George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust Board needs to carry out an immediate review of its outline business case, as it is now two years since it was drawn up and the climate now is very different to when it decided this way forward.
“The board also needs to take into consideration the recommendations from the Francis report and take heed from the lessons being learned at Hinchingbrooke.”
UNISON George Eliot Hospital branch secretary Dawn Downes said: “There is much support for our hospital locally from patients, staff and the public in general who want to see George Eliot continue to deliver full NHS services to the people of Nuneaton”.