Latest news with #RobPark
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
11-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Questions raised over out-of-hours GP contract
The decision to award the contract for Shropshire's out-of-hours GP service to a new company has been questioned by one of the original founders of Shropdoc, which currently provides the service. Dr Rob Park claimed the consultation carried out by NHS Shropshire Telford and Wrekin had been "minimal" and he feared the new service would not be as good. Shropshire Lib Dem councillor Bernie Bentick, shadow portfolio holder for public health, said the overall impetus for the move seemed to be to cut costs. NHS chiefs said they had undertaken a "robust, transparent and fair commissioning process". NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (NHS STW) has said the procurement process was still ongoing, but approval had been granted for the "intent to award" the contract to Wiltshire-based Medvivo. The BBC has approached Medvivo for comment. Dr Park said Medvivo was part of a venture capital company and said: "They seemingly are going to provide the service for less." He said not-for-profit Shropdoc was formed in 1996 and had been a success ever since. "I don't know much about the workings of modern Shropdoc but I do know they have boots on the ground and there's general satisfaction," he said. "The only way you can cut the service is by using Zoom-type consultations, using paramedics, and really cutting down on the number of doctors you have." Bentick said he believed the value of the current Shropdoc contract was in excess of £10m per year. Under the proposed contract, the GP side of the operation was worth £6m a year. "Many people in Shropshire are absolutely outraged at the move to stop local GPs seeing local people in the Shropdoc service. "This service has run for over 20 years and has provided an excellent quality service," he said. He wants the procurement process to pause. An NHS statement said: "We have undertaken a robust, transparent and fair commissioning process since August 2024." It added the NHS had collected a wide range of patient feedback to help understand views. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Out-of-hours GP service provider 'approved' Shropdoc NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin
BBC News
11-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Shropdoc row: Questions raised over out-of-hours GP contract
The decision to award the contract for Shropshire's out-of-hours GP service to a new company has been questioned by one of the original founders of Shropdoc, which currently provides the Rob Park claimed the consultation carried out by NHS Shropshire Telford and Wrekin had been "minimal" and he feared the new service would not be as Lib Dem councillor Bernie Bentick, shadow portfolio holder for public health, said the overall impetus for the move seemed to be to cut chiefs said they had undertaken a "robust, transparent and fair commissioning process". NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (NHS STW) has said the procurement process was still ongoing, but approval had been granted for the "intent to award" the contract to Wiltshire-based Medvivo. The BBC has approached Medvivo for comment. 'Boots on ground' Dr Park said Medvivo was part of a venture capital company and said: "They seemingly are going to provide the service for less."He said not-for-profit Shropdoc was formed in 1996 and had been a success ever since."I don't know much about the workings of modern Shropdoc but I do know they have boots on the ground and there's general satisfaction," he said."The only way you can cut the service is by using Zoom-type consultations, using paramedics, and really cutting down on the number of doctors you have." Bentick said he believed the value of the current Shropdoc contract was in excess of £10m per year. Under the proposed contract, the GP side of the operation was worth £6m a year."Many people in Shropshire are absolutely outraged at the move to stop local GPs seeing local people in the Shropdoc service."This service has run for over 20 years and has provided an excellent quality service," he wants the procurement process to pause. An NHS statement said: "We have undertaken a robust, transparent and fair commissioning process since August 2024."It added the NHS had collected a wide range of patient feedback to help understand views. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
