THE HEALTH Minister has vowed to reduce the amount being paid to private providers to deliver public services, following a recent report in the ‘Herald.
Minister Mike Nesbitt was responding to questions in the Assembly chamber about revelations in this paper that in the past four years £150 million was paid from the public purse to private providers to carry out elective procedures, with that number increasing by the year.
The figures, which were uncovered by Save Our Acute Services (SOAS), show these contracts were awarded outside of the tendering process, meaning there was no competition, and covered a number of different specialist services across the North’s health trusts.
The highest spend was in the area of orthopaedics, with the Western Trust alone paying over £20 million in recent years to impendent companies to carry out local procedures.
For context, a consultant salary is in the region of £100-£125k, meaning the Trust could have employed over 160 full time orthopaedic surgeons for the same money.
SOAS questioned why such large amounts of money were being paid to private companies instead of being used to hire much-needed staff for the NHS and to establish pay parity to help retain existing staff.
Following the publication of the Herald’s report, two local representatives raised the issue in the Stormont Assembly, quizzing Minister Nesbitt on the £150 million.
Colm Gildernew MLA referenced the report and said, “Whilst I acknowledge that the private sector can play a role in reducing waiting lists, this level of spend on private consultants is unsustainable in the longer term.
“So what will you do, Minister, to ensure that we have the capacity within the public health system to deliver services without the need to rely upon using the private sector?”
Minister Nesbitt said it was “an important point” and assured the chamber his Department would tackle the issue in the same way it had reduced the amount previously spend on agency nursing staff.
“The decision was made to stop [the agency spending] and that was successful,” he said. “I have to say, I’m being told that there was a bit of skepticism when the decision was first made, but it was actually delivered.
“The same focus is now going to be brought to bear on this issue.”
Fellow Fermanagh South Tyrone MLA Deborah Erskine also referenced the ‘Herald article, and asked if the high levels of private spending pointed to a capacity issue.
Ms Erskine added she had met with the Western Trust recently, and was told there was “a demand and capacity gap” that could be addressed if they were granted recurring funding.
Minister Nesbitt said the issue was two fold – both the limited “quantum” of the budget and in the fact it is a single year budget.
“I think those are two issues that play into workforce,” he said.
“Workforce is always a challenge, with so many moving parts in delivering health care, particularly at an acute hospital like the South West, that when one part falls down it has a huge impact, in fact it makes the whole thing grind to a halt.
“So workforce is a very key priority focus for me.”
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