NHS Suffolk puts community health services out to tender

Suffolk PCT has unveiled its plans to develop the county’s community healthcare services by converting the existing Suffolk Community Healthcare (SCH) body into an ‘arms length trading organisation’ by April 2009. Felixstowe TV [link to ] reports that, by April 2010, the organisation will be recognised as an independent legal entity. Along with private providers, SCH will then be invited to submit tenders to supply community health services such as the management of community hospitals, district nursing, health visiting, community dentistry and podiatry. NHS Suffolk has stated that their actions are in line with guidance issued by their Strategic Health Authority and that the creation of competition amongst service providers will lead to a better standard of care for the county’s patients. A spokesperson commented that the Trust has ‘...identified 12 strategic initiatives to deliver progress over the next 5 years on its main 5 goals. Several of these require significant improvements to, and investment in, community health services.’

NHS Suffolk has undertaken extensive research and project work to help staff understand how to commission services that will result in high standards of care, patient experience, integration with other services and value for money. It has announced that it is organising a series of events for patients, GPs and other stakeholders to explain to them the agenda for changing Suffolk’s community health services and the benefits that will result.