Government ushers in next wave of ISTCs
 Tony Blair predicts that the private sector will soon carry out up to 40 per cent of NHS operations, thanks to the addition of 11 more independent sector providers.
The comment follows a meeting between Mr Blair, health secretary Patricia Hewitt, and the newly launched NHS Partners Network, a group representing independent organisations providing NHS healthcare. Representatives from a range of key providers, including Bupa, pledged in a signed document their shared interest in ensuring the ‘future success’ of the NHS.
While the government continues to stress that private sector involvement will improve quality and help trusts achieve their targets, many stakeholders believe that it is simply a ‘quick fix’. In June 2004, Alliance Medical was awarded a controversial contract to supply the NHS with 130,000 MRI scans per annum for five years. The contract was widely criticised by healthcare unions, including the SoR, who said that the government should have consulted radiographers and those who knew the service best.
“Local radiology teams have shown they are able to examine their service designs, identify scope for improvement and suggest solutions and adjustments to improve efficiency,” said the Society’s CEO Richard Evans. “Hard pressed NHS MRI teams should be seeing funding to enable them to provide a decent service instead of giving contracts to the independent sector.”
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