Huddersfield hospital bosses on 'uncertainty' of Conservative health shake-up

HOSPITAL bosses in Huddersfield say they are “managing the uncertainty” surrounding the Government’s massive health shake-up.

The white paper “Liberating the NHS” outlined a new network of GP groups making decisions and taking over from the current Primary Care Trusts.

At a Board of Directors meeting of Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust yesterday chairman Sukhdev Sharma said the uncertainty surrounding the transition to the new system had led to the need to reassure staff.

He told the board: “Since the publication of the white paper we are receiving consultation documents on a weekly basis.

“These are giving us more details but there is still not sufficient clarity and we expect more papers in the next week or two.

“We are trying to keep on top of them and manage the uncertainty that any change process involves.

“We are planning some workshop sessions and have had some preliminary discussions on the white paper.”

He added that the situation may be clearer for the trust in September, concluding: “We are trying to reassure staff throughout the change process.”

Health secretary Andrew Lansley’s plans appear to spell the end of PCTs.

Currently the trusts are responsible for commissioning £80bn worth of services in their areas and their future is in doubt if this task is transferred to consortia of GPs.

Opponents however say GPs may not have the skills to take on the task, and Labour’s shadow health minister Andy Burnham has accused the government of a political experiment costing £80bn.

Another concern is the GPs’ willingness to take on the role of funding managers.

In the 1990s the Conservative Government tried to introduce stakeholding but not enough of the doctors were interested in getting involved and the scheme floundered.

Chief executive Diane Whittingham is discussing the uncertainty in the wake of the White Paper in a series of meetings with staff, the last of which was on Monday.

She said: “We are trying to explain as best we can the content of the white paper.

“We are having a conversation about the impact it may have on the system and what that means for the trust.

“I think people are obviously wanting to understand more about the white paper.

“There are lots of things coming out from the consultation documents over the last few weeks, they are putting the details on the framework.”