Agenda item

Presentation from Barts Health NHS Trust.

The Committee welcomed Casper Ridley and Ian Walker, Commercial Director and Trust Secretary for Barts Health NHS Trust, to the meeting. Mr Ridley and Mr Walker gave a presentation regarding a proposal for a private healthcare provider to invest in the Pathology Building and RSQ Building at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, which were in in a dilapidated state and required significant investment to make them usable. Barts Health did not have the resources to develop the site for NHS use, and were seeking to develop their private sector revenue stream.

Mr Ridley advised that this opportunity would benefit Barts Health and City workers and residents for a number of reasons, and made the following points:

·         There would be no negative impact on NHS services provided at the hospital.

·         There would be no cost to the NHS. The land would be leased and the freehold retained, with all costs of restoring and equipping the buildings for use as a modern healthcare facility being absorbed by Nuffield Health (as the preferred bidder). The completed facility would be handed back to Barts Health at the end of the lease period (which was yet to be confirmed).

·         A multimillion pound revenue stream would be provided over its lifetime for Barts Health to invest back into NHS services.

·         Nuffield Health had also indicated interest in buying NHS services on top of this lease agreement. This would provide for further revenue, and would ensure expensive equipment owned by Barts would be fully utilised.

·         Barts Health employed consultants currently undertaking private practice work elsewhere could move this to a site closer to their primary NHS work. This would have benefits to emergency planning.

·         City workers and residents would be allowed an increased choice for private medical care, as well as the provision of a joined-up care pathway through Nuffield Health corporate GPs and health assessments.

·         This development would be linked to other Nuffield Health medical centres and their post-operative programme.

Members queried the plans, with particular regard to patient experience, the level of risk involved with the project, and the timescale for completion. Mr Ridley and Mr Walker confirmed details, clarifying that financial risk was being absorbed by Nuffield Health who had undertaken robust market share analysis. Negotiations were currently underway, with contract agreement anticipated for June/July 2016. Final completion was anticipated for 2018, although this was dependant on a number of details, including securing planning permission.

The Committee agreed to support the project, conditional upon:

·         there being no negative impact on provision of services to NHS patients through private use of NHS equipment; and

·         the Barts Pathology Museum being unaffected.

RESOLVED – That the proposal be noted, and a comfort letter be sent to Barts Health on behalf of the Committee.