Lansley urges OFT to investigate preferred provider case
Andrew Lansley has written to the Office of Fair Trading, calling for an urgent investigation into the government’s “preferred provider” policy.
Excluding independent sector from NHS services 'potentially unlawful'
Excluding the independent sector from bidding to provide NHS services is “unacceptable and potentially unlawful”, the NHS Confederation Partners Network has said.
DH accused of 'backroom deal' over preferred provider case
Primary care trusts in the East of England have been ordered by the Department of Health to suspend all procurements for community services.
Fresh investigations stall Kingston branch surgery plans
The Department of Health has not yet approved the opening of a Kingston GP group’s new branch surgery - two months after the cooperation and competition panel said it should go ahead.
DH dismisses own advisory panel's claims on procurement and competition as 'anecdote'
The Department of Health has dismissed as “anecdote” a report from its own cooperation and competition panel that warned a “significant number” of NHS commissioners were at risk of legal challenge because they were not following procurement rules.
Many commissioners breach NHS competition rules
The NHS cooperation and competition panel has warned that a “significant number” of commissioners have left their procurement process open to challenge.
DH drawn into row over GP practice expansion
The Department of Health has been dragged into a row between NHS Kingston and one of its GP practices.
Competition panel to investigate preferred provider policy
The cooperation and competition panel has received a formal complaint about a primary care trust’s interpretation of the government’s “preferred provider” policy.
Independent provider arms 'nonsense', David Nicholson says
NHS chief executive David Nicholson has described the idea of many primary care trust provider arms becoming independent as “nonsense”.
Property and competition to be investigated following takeover
A trust takeover has sparked an investigation into the relationship between property, competition and co-operation in the NHS.
Andy Burnham stands ground after taking fire on competition rules
Health secretary Andy Burnham has insisted to HSJ that his rewriting of the competition rules will accelerate, not slow, the pace of NHS reform.
Two thirds of PCTs still to agree provider model
Two thirds of primary care trust provider arms have not yet had their future form agreed by their board and strategic health authority, a survey suggests.
FT chief: ‘can-do’ bid won our merger
A foundation chief executive has highlighted demonstrating a “can-do” attitude as a major factor in his successful bid to take over another trust.
FT warning over competition panel ruling on consultants
Foundation trusts have warned most decisions on allowing consultants to work for other providers will need to be decided individually, despite a co-operation and competition panel ruling last week that attempts to prevent such work were anti-competitive and undermined patient choice.
Andy Burnham’s preferred bidder pledge questioned
Questions have been raised over the implications for competition and world class commissioning of health secretary Andy Burnham’s statement that the NHS is the “preferred provider” of services.
NHS competition panel rejects limit on consultants’ work outside their contracts
The co-operation and competition panel has said that restrictions on consultants working for other providers during their non-contractive hours are anti-competitive and against NHS principles.
'NHS must be protected' - Unison
Unison has called on NHS workers to unite and press for a temporary ban on the provision of public health care by private companies.
Acute trust mergers expected to increase
The co-operation and competition panel is expecting a surge in cases evaluating the costs and benefits of acute trust mergers, says its director Andrew Taylor.
Lewisham PCT agrees merger with hospital trust
NHS Lewisham’s trust board has agreed to merge its community health services with Lewisham Hospital trust in an effort to eventually achieve foundation trust status.
Competition panel examines trust takeover bids
The co-operation and competition panel is investigating the takeover of a trust that was not going to succeed in becoming a foundation.
More on the Panel
Paul Corrigan on NHS reform
NHS reform requires the creation of significant parts of the NHS system that are independent of the Department of Health and the NHS mainstream hierarchy of the past.
Chris Ham on increasing NHS co-operation
Tighter budgets and more integrated care mean the co-operation and competition panel must change tack away from its old policy of relying on competitive markets
Stephen Eames on large scale health solutions
Writing this, I know there will be catcalls from many quarters because as a chief executive of a large acute organisation I will be regarded as self interested, self serving or at worst unreconstructed, but here goes.
Richard Lewis and Matthew Bell on healthcare market stimulation
Commissioners will have to sharpen their understanding of healthcare markets and see carefully managed competition as a tool that works for the benefit of patients
Michael White on NHS co-operation and competition
Following last week’s HSJ article on the NHS’s Co-operation and Competition Panel I have lifted a few stones.
Patient choice: Apple's way will bear most fruit
Patient choice means NHS organisations must act more like businesses to win customers. The best will look to companies like Apple, which build their services from the 'outside in'
