THE British Medical Association (BMA) yesterday condemned the government for spending £171 million on private management consultants, who have been hired to advise NHS Trusts how to make massive cuts.
Dr Paul Miller, BMA consultants committee chairman, demanded a halt to the practice.
‘The NHS has become a management consultant addict,’ Miller said.
‘It is simply taking money away from patient care.’
He added: ‘The NHS needs good management and managers who involve those that know about patients and the NHS, such as the staff who provide the services, not just people parachuted in from outside the hospital with no hospital experience.’
Figures showed the cost of private management consultants to the NHS in England is set to top £171m in 2006-07, which represents a staggering 83 per cent increase over the last two years.
The figures were obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.
NHS Trusts are able to employ consultants for advice on how to manage their services and staff.
The government has also enlisted companies like KPMG and Price Waterhouse Coopers to act as ‘turnaround teams’ in some hospitals.
A total of £93.8 million was spent on private management consultants in 2004-05, £117.9 million in 2005-06 and a projected £171 million in 2006-07.
Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, which is cutting 325 posts, is spending £3.6 million on management consultants this year.