NHS chiefs grilled over Whitehawk doctors’ surgery row

NHS bosses faced a grilling from councillors after a row about the retendering of the contract to run a doctors’ surgery in Whitehawk.

Members of Brighton and Hove City Council’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee were left disappointed for want of a detailed response from NHS Sussex, the integrated care board (ICB).

The board has yet to start a review of the process. But in March, the ICB published a notice of intention to award the contract to One Medical Group, a company based in Leeds.

This prompted outrage from staff, patients, politicians and the wider community in defence of the current provider, Wellsbourne CIC (Community Interest Company), which stepped in when a previous private provider handed back its contract.

And the CIC challenged the outcome, with a review by the Independent Patient Choice and Procurement Panel raising concerns about the process and recommending that NHS Sussex go back to an earlier step in the process.

Labour councillor Gary Wilkinson, who chairs the council’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, said that the Whitehawk community was deeply concerned about what had happened.

Councillor Wilkinson said: “It’s clear that there have been problems with this procurement. This is evident from the advisory report of the Independent Patient Choice and Procurement Panel which is included in the papers for this meeting.

“I’m keen to learn what went wrong and what can be improved, not just in terms of the formal tender process, but also in terms of community and stakeholder engagement before the tender started.”

Councillor Wilkinson said that he accepted that there would be commercial sensitivities around the second review.

He secured an undertaking from NHS Sussex chief executive Adam Doyle that he would return next year with those involved with the review to answer more detailed questions in public.

Conservative councillor Emma Hogan asked why NHS Sussex had still not started its review process, given that the panel’s decision was published on Wednesday 23 July.

Councillor Hogan, an NHS psychiatrist, said: “It’s a very unsettling time when procurement is being considered, not only for the patients but for the staff as well so it’s quite disappointing to see this is being pushed down the road more.

“We were led to believe that this report would be coming back in the autumn this year.”

Mr Doyle said that the timescale was not possible for an autumn report because the ICB had to follow due process, pausing the procurement and deciding on the right approach.

Labour councillor Gill Williams, who represents Whitehawk and Marina ward, asked why Wellsbourne CIC had not been made a direct offer to maintain its services.

Councillor Williams said: “It would be very suitable in this situation, given the long-term commitment to the local community and how deeply involved and ingrained they are in our local communities. I think it would have been quite an appropriate path to take.”

NHS Sussex chief integration and primary care officer, Amy Galea, said that a direct award of contract was possible and had been explored in December 2022 when the five-year contract was reviewed.

She said: “There were several conversations with the provider at the time while we also, in August 2023, issued the PIN (prior information notice) that was going to be our proposed approach to the market.

“As part of that we received interest from the market in relation to this type of contract.”

She added that money spent on primary care services needed to deliver “best value for the public purse”.

Councillor Williams noted that the direct offer had been contemplated initially and asked whether it could be revisited. Mr Doyle said that there were several options open to the ICB once the review was completed.

Labour councillor Amanda Evans said that she went to an event at the Amex stadium in May 2023 about the new integrated community teams across Brighton – and the Wellsbourne GP surgery was held up as the exemplar of the aspirations for community primary care.

Yet months later, NHS Sussex was putting the contract out for tender which looked like being awarded to a for-profit provider, rather than the Wellsbourne CIC.

Councillor Evans asked why, when value for money was key, how a for-profit organisation could secure a contract over a community interest provider.

She said: “How did you get from lionising this amazing provider in 2023 to putting the contract out for tender and then deciding so soon afterwards that they weren’t that great after all and there were much better for-profit providers around.

“Also, I am quite interested in the idea that while the idea of a direct award was explored, they didn’t feel they could provide within that financial envelope.

“I don’t know the people from the Wellsbourne (but) if they didn’t feel they could provide the service why did they then join in the procurement? And why were they upset when they didn’t win the bid. It doesn’t make much sense to me.”

Councillor Evans criticised NHS Sussex over its community engagement, saying that just 56 people had commented even though the surgery had about 8,500 patients on its books.

Mr Doyle said that he understood there was a “difference of view about price”. He said: “There many providers across the system who are doing great things. Wellsbourne is one of them, I am very sure about that.

“The organisation, because of the nature of the APMS (alternative provider medical services) contract, has to review that under the legal framework of how we do that.

“Our process has to be, now, let’s get to the bottom of this, and then, be clear how we go forward.”

Councillor Gary Wilkinson has written an opinion piece about the issue. To read it, click here.