Latest news with #NHSSTW
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New out-of-hours GP contract to be reviewed
The decision to award the contract for Shropshire's out-of-hours GP service to a new company will be reviewed by an independent panel, NHS officials say. It comes after NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (NHS STW) confirmed it had removed the contract from Shropdoc, a not-for-profit organiser that currently provides the service. NHS chiefs said they had undertaken a "robust, transparent and fair commissioning process", but had now extended a consultation period for further submissions to be made before the review takes place. Dr Rob Park, one of the founders of Shropdoc, said the trust's original consultation had been "minimal" and he feared the new service would not be as good. NHS STW confirmed the contract was initially awarded to Wiltshire-based Medvivo - which as been contacted for comment - on 5 February. The trust then entered a standstill period - the time between a contract being awarded and then signed - which has been extended to allow for any further written submissions to be made. After the period ends, the trust has confirmed it would then consider the representations and then review the decision through the independent panel. Speaking after the announcement of the contract, Dr Park said Medvivo was part of a venture capital company. "They seemingly are going to provide the service for less," he said. Meanwhile, Lib Dem Bernie Bentick, shadow portfolio holder for public health at Shropshire Council, said the overall impetus for the move seemed to be to cut costs. He said he believed the value of the current Shropdoc contract was in excess of £10m per year. Under the proposed new contract, the GP side of the operation was worth £6m a year. A spokesperson for the trust said: "The service specification remains unchanged, and the re-procurement is not a cost-cutting measure. "It will continue to be a locally provided service, staffed by local clinicians, with face-to-face appointments forming a core element and remaining available at the out of hours bases and via home visits." Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Questions raised over out-of-hours GP contract Out-of-hours GP service provider 'approved' Shropdoc NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin
BBC News
17-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Independent panel to review Shropshire out-of-hours GP contract
The decision to award the contract for Shropshire's out-of-hours GP service to a new company will be reviewed by an independent panel, NHS officials comes after NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (NHS STW) confirmed it had removed the contract from Shropdoc, a not-for-profit organiser that currently provides the service. NHS chiefs said they had undertaken a "robust, transparent and fair commissioning process", but had now extended a consultation period for further submissions to be made before the review takes Rob Park, one of the founders of Shropdoc, said the trust's original consultation had been "minimal" and he feared the new service would not be as good. NHS STW confirmed the contract was initially awarded to Wiltshire-based Medvivo - which as been contacted for comment - on 5 February. The trust then entered a standstill period - the time between a contract being awarded and then signed - which has been extended to allow for any further written submissions to be made. After the period ends, the trust has confirmed it would then consider the representations and then review the decision through the independent panel. 'Not a cost-cutting measure' Speaking after the announcement of the contract, Dr Park said Medvivo was part of a venture capital company."They seemingly are going to provide the service for less," he Lib Dem Bernie Bentick, shadow portfolio holder for public health at Shropshire Council, said the overall impetus for the move seemed to be to cut said he believed the value of the current Shropdoc contract was in excess of £10m per the proposed new contract, the GP side of the operation was worth £6m a year.A spokesperson for the trust said: "The service specification remains unchanged, and the re-procurement is not a cost-cutting measure. "It will continue to be a locally provided service, staffed by local clinicians, with face-to-face appointments forming a core element and remaining available at the out of hours bases and via home visits." Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New out-of-hours GP service provider 'approved'
The provider of an out-of-hours GP service that provides urgent medical care and NHS 111 could lose its contract. Shropdoc has been running the service in Shropshire since 1996. NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (NHS STW) confirmed this week that approval had been granted for the "intent to award" the contract to Medvivo. However, it added that due to it still being within the "procurement process", it could not officially confirm Medvivo as the new provider, only that it intended to award the contract. The contract would be for a period of up to five years. In August 2024, NHS STW launched a county-wide scheme that saw residents share their views on the service and give feedback on how improvements could be made. It said almost 600 surveys were completed and a focus group was set up to explore the feedback in more detail. The organisation added that if a GP out-of-hours service contract was awarded to a new provider, one of its priorities would be to ensure as little impact and change to patients as possible. It added that there would be no change to its palliative care line, and home visits would continue to be available should a change in provider occur. Medvivo is based in the south-west of England, according to its website, and in 2020 joined HealthHero to become the group's NHS service provider. It specialises in integrated urgent care and associated services. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Views sought on GP out-of-hours service NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin
BBC News
05-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Shropshire could see new out-of-hours health provider
The provider of an out-of-hours GP service that provides urgent medical care and NHS 111 could lose its has been running the service in Shropshire since Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (NHS STW) confirmed this week that approval had been granted for the "intent to award" the contract to it added that due to it still being within the "procurement process", it could not officially confirm Medvivo as the new provider, only that it intended to award the contract. The contract would be for a period of up to five August 2024, NHS STW launched a county-wide scheme that saw residents share their views on the service and give feedback on how improvements could be said almost 600 surveys were completed and a focus group was set up to explore the feedback in more organisation added that if a GP out-of-hours service contract was awarded to a new provider, one of its priorities would be to ensure as little impact and change to patients as added that there would be no change to its palliative care line, and home visits would continue to be available should a change in provider is based in the south-west of England, according to its website, and in 2020 joined HealthHero to become the group's NHS service provider. It specialises in integrated urgent care and associated services. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
