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Sophie Goodchild, Health and Social Affairs Correspondent

02.09.10

Thousands of vulnerable patients could suffer from plans by NHSbosses to privatise out-of-hours GP services inLondon.

More than 200 doctors have written toHealth Secretary Andrew LansleyandMayor Boris Johnsonto protest at the transfer of evening andweekend care to Harmoni, a private health company.In the letter, published in today's Standard, they warn the decision to putcost before care will reduce quality for the 950,000 patients in northLondon who use long-established Camidoc, a non-profit making companyrun by GPs which provides care and advice when surgeries are closed.They say the switch to a private provider means GPs will no longer beprovided with basic medical equipment such as oxygen for lung patientsor defibrillators for life-threatening heart problems.Some doctors are threatening not to work in “unsafe circumstances” where nurses will be used increasingly, instead of doctors, as well as GPswho may lack local knowledge.MPs have now called for an investigation into the decision by primarycare trusts inCamden,Islington, Haringey, and City and Hackney to replace Camidoc with Harmoni, whose turnover rose from £3.5 million in2005 to £73 million last year.Diane Abbott, MP andLabourleadership candidate, said: “This is nothing more than NHS privatisation by stealth. It's wrong that we should allow private companies to take over wellestablished out-of-hours services run by GPs, all in the pursuit of profit.” Failings in out-of-hours care are still widespread, mainly because of underfunding by primarycare trusts, which has triggered shortages in the number of on-call GPs.In some parts of London, just two or three doctors are responsible for tens of thousands of patients. A spokesman for Camden said: “Camidoc recently alerted the PCT Consortium to problemsregarding its financial status. An independent business review was conducted and the PCTsconcluded from the report that Camidoc was technically insolvent. To enter into a newthree-year contract with Camidoc in its current financial state was not an option that could bepursued.” He added that doctors working for Harmoni would use the same kit as Camidoc provides.The Government has pledged to put doctors back in charge of out-of-hours care, a responsibilityremoved in 2004, after a national outcry over the death of David Gray, a retired engineer givena massive dose of morphine. Dr Daniel Ubani later admitted killing Mr Gray through negligence.

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‘Privatised out-of-hours care will put patients in danger’ | Newshttp://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23873366-switching-out-o...1 of 202/09/2010 22:45