01.04.15
NHS England efficiencies means job cuts in primary care support services
NHS England plans to implement “efficiencies” in its primary care support (PCS) services, closing offices and cutting jobs just weeks before it is due to announce the winner of a £1bn outsourcing contract to provide the service.
Reports suggest that plans could lead to over 300 voluntary and forced redundancies from the 1,800 strong workforce. Nine offices running the services are also expected to close.
An NHS spokesperson told NHE: “NHS England is currently consulting with staff about proposed efficiencies to the service which will mean the closure of some PCS Services offices. Unfortunately we are anticipating some staff redundancies, and we will know who will be affected once consultation closes.
“We expect to have these changes completed by July. PCS Services customers will continue to receive the same professional service that they have today.”
NHE reported in March that NHS England planned to make 60 people redundant at the NHS PCS Services head office in Lancing. This now appears to have only been the start of the organisation’s efficiency drive.
The decision has been made as NHS England continues with its plans to outsource primary care support services nationwide. In January they announced the shortlisted bidders for the £1bn deal, which is one of the single largest outsourcing deals ever proposed in the NHS.
The three shortlisted bidders are:
- Capgemini, a global consultancy and outsourcing firm, with South East Commissioning Support Unit;
- Capita with Anglian Community Enterprise (a social enterprise providing community services in north east Essex); and
- Equiniti, which specialises in finance and administration.
It is understood that NHS England has shared the proposed changes to the service with the bidders so that they can plan accordingly.
NHS England is currently carrying out a wider internal restructure, aimed at reducing costs and improving efficiency. In October a consultation was launched but a new national structure has yet to be announced.
From today, NHS England will replace its 27 area teams with 15 sub-regional teams, which will work more closely with each other and with the regional teams. This part of NHS England’s restructure is understood to have led to around 300 redundancies so far.
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