Trust to complain to Monitor over £285m contract award

HSJ revealed last month that social enterprise Locala Community Partnerships was the preferred bidder of the “prime provider” contract for community services in Kirklees, and the deal was confirmed this week.

The Locala bid also involved South West Yorkshire Partnership Foundation Trust, a local hospice and other third sector organisations.

The consortium was chosen by Greater Huddersfield and North Kirklees clinical commissioning groups.

Calderdale and Huddersfield Foundation Trust had led a separate consortium bid for the contract with GP federations.

It said in a statement: “As a partnership we do not agree with the decision nor the process undertaken by the CCGs in evaluating and making the decision on the contract.

“As such we have informed the CCGs that we intend to lodge a formal complaint with Monitor asking for them to commence an investigation into the CCG’s procurement process and its impact on the outcomes for patients.

“Our overriding reason for doing this is to ensure that patients and their families can be confident in the process and confident that they will receive the very best care as a result.”

The trust, which forecasts a deficit of £23m for this financial year, reported in its board papers that losing the contract would result in lost income of £5m. Winning the contract would have resulted in a £30m growth in income.

Greater Huddersfield and North Kirklees CCGs have been approached for comment.