SHAs contrast sharply on community proposals

Last week the complex picture of plans for primary care trust provider arms for all but two regions was revealed, with strong showings for community foundation trusts and integration with mental health trusts.

HSJ has now collated the full picture after surveying the remaining PCTs.

The North East has seen all but two provider arms being “vertically integrated” with the regions’ acute foundation trusts. Senior PCT sources told HSJ those decisions had been made “grudgingly” in several cases.

The South West, by contrast, has five PCTs intending to turn their provider arms into social enterprises - nearly a third of the national total for that option.

The region appears to be well behind the September deadline for submitting plans, with some trust boards not due to approve their proposals before November and December.

The Department of Health’s final deadline for separating the commissioning and provider arms of PCTs is April 2011.

NHS Devon staff face being transferred to different organisations twice within as many years after it approved an interim plan to split the provider arm between Northern Devon Healthcare Trust and Torbay Care Trust.

NHS Devon chief executive Ann James said the temporary arrangement would not last more than two years.

An NHS Wiltshire spokeswoman said the PCT was waiting to submit its proposals and would not make any announcement before November.

In the North East the only PCTs not planning vertical integration with an acute foundation trust are Stockton-on-Tees and Hartlepool.

The services have been managed by North Tees and Hartlepool Foundation Trust since November 2008 but the PCTs now plan to tender them.