Public sector union UNISON yesterday told News Line it is opposed to a bid by Richard Branson’s Virgin Group to build and administer NHS health centres using sub-contracted GPs and also offering a range of private services.
Virgin Group has rejected bidding for APMS (Alternative Provider Medical Services) contracts, under which private companies take over whole practices.
Instead, it plans to build new Virgin Healthcare centres, provide administrative services and offer a range of other services, such as pharmacies and complementary therapy on site.
Virgin Group is appealing to GPs to join its scheme, saying they will retain their independent contractor status, while Virgin gets to manage funds the doctors receive for staff costs and rental.
Chief executive Mark Adams said: ‘The Virgin Healthcare model is to work with healthcare professionals under existing NHS contracts.’
A UNISON spokesperson told News Line: ‘The more private companies are allowed to enter into the NHS, the greater the opportunities for exploiting the public purse.
‘UNISON is absolutely opposed to the move by Virgin Group into GP surgeries.
‘It is deeply alarming that a private company such as Virgin will be marketing its additional services to potentially vulnerable patients when they are in need of medical care.
‘By providing private services alongside NHS services, Virgin completely undermines the whole ethos of the NHS – a health service free at the point of need.’
Royal College of Nursing head of policy Howard Catton told News Line: ‘We don’t support the replacement or undermining of NHS services.
‘We will be monitoring this development closely because we would be concerned that NHS monies could be taken away from healthcare.’
Department of Health Director of Commissioning Mark Britnell confirmed that £250m a year had been earmarked for the new services.
He said: ‘There is a potential business here worth more than £1bn for Virgin, Assura, Boots and other private-sector providers to bid into, alongside existing GPs and foundation trusts.’
Meanwhile, GPs are already feeling the effect of health secretary Alan Johnson’s plans for 250 new APMS surgeries.
One GP was so disheartened after losing out to a private firm in an APMS bid to run his own practice in Hounslow, he has left London to work in Taunton, Somerset.
After building up his Hounslow practice over seven years into a training and research practice, Dr John Edwards was outbid by Greenbrook Healthcare, a GP-commercial company set up specifically for the bid and based in a neighbouring PCT.
Dr Sam Everington, former deputy chair of the BMA and current European GP of the Year, lost out to private company Atos Healthcare in a bid for an APMS practice.
Tower Hamlets PCT rejected a bid by Everington for a former PCT-run practice in Tower Hamlets, East London, near his own award-winning practice in Bromley-by-Bow.
The PCT said it had awarded the contract to Atos after judging on criteria such as ‘opening hours, appointment availability, quality systems, range of services and how well they understood local need’.
