Trust selects company chaired by CEO’s wife for £8m contract

Buckinghamshire Healthcare Trust has selected a GP-led co-cooperative company, FedBucks, as its preferred provider to run urgent care and out-of-hours services. FedBucks is chaired by Penny Macdonald, a GP and the wife of Bucks trust chief executive Neil Macdonald.

Following local media coverage, trust chair David Highton has insisted Mr Macdonald had properly managed the conflict of interest, having followed national guidance whose “first requirement… is for staff to proactively declare interests at the point they become involved in decision making”.

He said: “In March 2017, Mr Macdonald declared the potential conflict that [Dr Macdonald], is a managing partner of the Marlow Medical Group and chair of the Buckinghamshire GP Federation… comprising 47 GP practices (FedBucks). This potential conflict of interest was recorded in the appropriate register by the trust and is also noted in meetings of the integrated care board. 

“This was further strengthened in 2018 when Mr Macdonald became [CEO] with a legal review carried out of how Mr Macdonald and the board should manage this potential conflict of interest. In regards to FedBucks, the board noted that any benefits derived from its activities are for the benefit of Buckinghamshire primary care and there is no financial return, in either cash or capital, made to GP practices or individuals.

“Mr Macdonald was not in attendance when the trust board took the recent decision to outsource the provision of its 24/7 primary care service and was not involved in the final decision to recommend FedBucks as the most suitable provider. I am completely satisfied that the correct procedures regarding manging conflicts of interest have been followed.”

The trust said FedBucks is a “limited company with a not-for-profit ethos”. 

Currently, Buckinghamshire Healthcare and FedBucks jointly run the urgent care services, but the trust said this has created several difficulties, including a heavy reliance on agency staff, high costs and difficulties working as a single team.

The trust therefore decided FedBucks was “best placed” to “bring under one team our two urgent treatment centres, as well as our out-of-hours service”. 

The move could also see the jobs of around 30 NHS staff at Wycombe Hospital and Stoke Mandeville Hospital being moved to FedBucks. Staff raised concerns to Bucks Radio over transferring to a private company. The trust has said it will follow TUPE regulations. 

The trust said both the contract value, which is listed on a tender as £8m, and the exact number of staff who could be impacted, is not yet clear, as contract negotiations have not been completed. It is “engaging” with affected staff and their union representatives.