NHS Competition
Patients able to complain to Monitor about anti-competitive behaviour
Monitor will consider complaints about anti-competitive commissioning from individual patients and representative groups, under new guidance.
Exclusive: Competition ‘jeopardy’ for icon of integration
Commissioners of Torbay’s pioneering integrated care organisation are taking legal advice amid fears its progress could be placed “in jeopardy” by a requirement to competitively tender some services, HSJ has learned.
Exclusive: Acute and community provider may compete to lead frail elderly service
An acute provider and a community health trust are likely to compete to be the lead provider of services for the frail elderly under planned changes to contracting in Oxfordshire.
Exclusive: Experts identify urgent need for 'balanced guidance' on NHS competition
New guidelines from the NHS’s competition watchdog may lead commissioners to “perceive the scope for regulatory action as being so wide that it inhibits service redesign”, an influential think tank has warned.
Exclusive: Key Lib Dem backs government over crunch NHS competition vote
The Liberal Democrats’ health spokeswoman in the Lords has told HSJ she will have “no problem” asking her party to support the government in next week’s crucial vote on new NHS competition regulations.
Drug firms accused of pay-for-delay deal
Drugs giant GlaxoSmithKline has been accused by the competition watchdog of paying firms to delay the launch of cheaper versions of its antidepressant treatment, in a move which denied the NHS “significant” cost savings.
Analysed: The Bournemouth and Poole merger
HSJ Briefing is our in-depth analysis of key issues facing some of the major NHS health economies. This week we examine the proposed merger between Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals and Poole Hospital foundation trusts
Exclusive: Monitor chief executive says it would be 'mad' to force unnecessary tendering
The chief executive of healthcare sector regulator Monitor has rejected claims that controversial new competition regulations could lead to a sharp increase in competitive tendering for NHS services.
Fair playing field review targets commissioner behaviour
Monitor this week published a suite of recommendations aimed at encouraging commissioners to allow providers to compete more to supply NHS care. The healthcare sector regulator concluded opportunities to compete were being “unduly limited” by existing commissioning practices.
OFT extends its remit over NHS mergers
Healthcare sector regulator Monitor has confirmed the Office of Fair Trading will in future have responsibility for assessing any merger involving an NHS foundation trust.
Commissioning board and Monitor: competition 'not about ideology'
Healthcare sector regulator Monitor and the NHS Commissioning Board this week issued a joint statement of intent on how competition would work in the reformed health service, amid continuing political controversy about the government’s NHS competition regulations.
Nicholson says gagging order ban will be applied retrospectively
Sir David Nicholson has told MPs a ban on “gagging” of NHS staff will be applied retrospectively, suggesting relevant confidentiality agreements no longer apply to those who have signed them in the past.
Government's competition rowback 'doesn't address fundamentals'
The government’s changes to controversial secondary legislation covering the contracting of NHS services have sparked disagreement over the effect of the new rules.
Government drops controversial clause from NHS competition rules
The Department of Health has amended key sections of controversial secondary legislation covering the contracting out of NHS services.
Merging foundation trusts sign competition undertakings
The providers involved in the first merger between two foundation trusts have signed up to undertakings restricting how they can communicate with each other.
Government to amend controversial competition rules
The government will amend its controversial competition regulations, minister Norman Lamb has said.
Exclusive: Government defends competition rules in letter to Parliament
Lord Howe has written to Parliament playing down the effect of new competition rules, in an attempt to stave off political opposition, HSJ has learned.
Labour moves to kill off controversial competition regulations
Labour is calling on peers to reject controversial secondary legislation governing competition and the tendering of NHS services.
DH opens door to NHS pension for private sector
Private companies providing NHS services are being allowed access to the NHS pension scheme ahead of anticipated Treasury action to widen eligibility, HSJ has learned.
Community services to be focus of extended competition
Community services worth billions of pounds are likely to be made subject to increased competition by guidance to be developed under controversial new secondary legislation, HSJ has learned.
NHS Competition Resources
Competition is all around us – so why fight it?
Competition and integration can co-exist to provide a seamless health service
Trusts lose ground in online marketing race
Providers are missing opportunities to promote themselves
How to make it to merger
Trusts can boost their chances of success when merger proposals are considered
A collaborative operation
Charities and the NHS should work together to deliver joined-up care patients deserve
How to successfully lead from within a partnership
Leading from within a partnership may sound like a paradox but with care it can be done. Adam Turner looks at how to go about it
Guidance on producing an any qualified provider implementation pack
The chance to produce an AQP implementation pack offered potent insights into how the service area should develop. Sheena Hennell explains how one PCT cluster went about their project.
