Privatising county NHS contract 'will only save 0.07%'

A controversial move to privatise parts of Lancashire's health services would save just 0.07 per cent, it has been revealed.
Lancashire County Council awarded the 104m contract to VirginLancashire County Council awarded the 104m contract to Virgin
Lancashire County Council awarded the 104m contract to Virgin

Last year Lancashire County Council announced that it was awarding the £104m contract for the Healthy Child programme to Virgin, rather than local NHS providers.The county council said that the bid followed a “rigorous process heavily weighted in favour of quality service”.But court documents reveal that the difference between the two bids was just 0.07 per cent – or £14,560 a year. The decision proved controversial, and Lancashire Care NHS Trust and Blackpool Teaching Hospitals – who currently run the service – have launched a legal challenge against the decision. The process is ongoing, but Mr Justice Fraser has suspended the process of privatisation and refused the council’s appeal against the suspension.His judgement states: “The competing bidders’ prices were almost identical, accounting for a difference of just 0.07 per cent in their overall scores.” James Rupa, Unison North West Regional Organiser said: “These servces should remain in the NHS. The council has made a short-sighted and reckless decision in awarding such a large and important contract to Virgin. “The judgement shows how privatising key services will damage our local NHS organisations and will not save the council significant money.”