Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust among seven to get £1.5billion government bailout (From News Shopper)

Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust among seven to get £1.5billion government bailout

2:15pm Monday 6th February 2012 in Health News By Jim Palmer

Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust among seven to get £1.5billion government bailout

A BAILOUT of £1.5billion is set to be paid by the Government to seven struggling NHS trusts, including Dartford and Gravesham.

The Department of Health (DoH) will give the money to trusts with ‘serious structural financial issues’ related to paying back Private Finance Initiatives (PFIs).

Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust entered into the NHS’ first PFI with firm THC Dartford in 1997.

Operating like a mortgage, THC Dartford built Darent Valley Hospital, which opened in 2000, and provides maintenance and services like cleaning and porters while the trust has agreed to pay it back over 32 years.

Nearby South London Healthcare Trust and Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust are also among the seven earmarked for support.

In order to qualify for the cash, the trusts must prove they faces exceptional difficulties, that its problems are historic and resources will be managed well in the future.

They must also prove they deliver high quality services - including low waiting times - while making savings.

A Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust spokesman said: "The Trust is pleased that it has made the case for special assistance to help mitigate the impact of the difficult economic climate. "The Trust is confident that it meets the four key tests as laid out in the Department of Health’s criteria. "The Trust has been working with colleagues at both the Primary Care Trust and the Strategic Health Authority to ensure that our case for support is well understood. "Success in securing this support would enable us to invest further in high quality, local services for patients in the well serviced and maintained hospital that the PFI provides. "As part of our long term financial planning this additional support would help to secure an even more robust financial framework for our continued discussions with Medway NHS Foundation Trust."

Health secretary Andrew Lansley said: "The NHS is delivering great results for patients but we know a small number of NHS Trusts with PFI arrangements have historic problems relating to these arrangements that make it very difficult for them to manage financially."

Mr Lansley said trusts often received extra funds ‘on the quiet’ but this would stop.

He said NHS accountability needed to be balanced with recognition that there is a legacy of debt for some trusts with PFI commitments.

He said: "We need to be certain that those NHS Trusts that face historic financial problems are not taking their eye off the most important issue of all - maintaining and improving their frontline patient care."

Patients

North Kent Disabled Foundation founder Danny O’Brien, 65, said: "It is good news when any extra money goes in the health service. We all need it.

"Everyone that comes to our centre is a regular hospital attendee. It is good news whatever."

Mr O’Brien said around 10 or 11 members of his group relied on Darent Valley Hospital Services.

"I am hopeful it will make a lot of difference. Some of the services have been a bit intermittent lately.

"We had members who went to appointments and sometimes they were rearranged before they got there."