This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-28144161

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Staffordshire cancer care 'could be privatised' Staffordshire cancer care 'could be privatised'
(about 7 hours later)
Cancer care across Staffordshire could be privatised as part of a £1.2bn contract, a trade union has warned.Cancer care across Staffordshire could be privatised as part of a £1.2bn contract, a trade union has warned.
In what is believed to be the biggest outsourcing deal in NHS history, four clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are jointly tendering for a body to integrate care across the county.In what is believed to be the biggest outsourcing deal in NHS history, four clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are jointly tendering for a body to integrate care across the county.
The Unison trade union said it could mean the privatisation of care and described it as a "huge gamble".The Unison trade union said it could mean the privatisation of care and described it as a "huge gamble".
The CCGs said patients' treatment would be unaffected.The CCGs said patients' treatment would be unaffected.
Andrew Donald, chief officer for Stafford and Surrounds and Cannock Chase CCGs, said no decision had yet been made on a provider.Andrew Donald, chief officer for Stafford and Surrounds and Cannock Chase CCGs, said no decision had yet been made on a provider.
"It could be an NHS body, it could be a voluntary body, it could be a private body or it could be all of them working together," he said."It could be an NHS body, it could be a voluntary body, it could be a private body or it could be all of them working together," he said.
The successful bidder will be asked to co-ordinate cancer care throughout Staffordshire - from diagnosis through to treatment and end-of-life care.The successful bidder will be asked to co-ordinate cancer care throughout Staffordshire - from diagnosis through to treatment and end-of-life care.
It will cover the four CCGs that commission services across the county - Stafford and Surrounds, Cannock Chase, Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire.It will cover the four CCGs that commission services across the county - Stafford and Surrounds, Cannock Chase, Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire.
'Dangerous experiment''Dangerous experiment'
Unison, however, said the deal could lead to the privatisation of care, "affecting the lives of many thousands of patients and staff".Unison, however, said the deal could lead to the privatisation of care, "affecting the lives of many thousands of patients and staff".
Christina McAnea, Unison's head of health, said: "This is by far the biggest procurement process in the NHS and is a dangerous experiment.Christina McAnea, Unison's head of health, said: "This is by far the biggest procurement process in the NHS and is a dangerous experiment.
"We are talking about £1bn of taxpayers' money and contracts lasting 10 years in vital cancer services and end-of-life care."We are talking about £1bn of taxpayers' money and contracts lasting 10 years in vital cancer services and end-of-life care.
"This is much bigger than just asking private companies to provide a service, this is asking them to design the whole system. With profit as the main driving force, how can it not lead to problems?""This is much bigger than just asking private companies to provide a service, this is asking them to design the whole system. With profit as the main driving force, how can it not lead to problems?"
The union also criticised the transparency of the tendering process.The union also criticised the transparency of the tendering process.
Mr Donald, however, said the bidding process was intended to lead to better value for money.Mr Donald, however, said the bidding process was intended to lead to better value for money.
"The NHS in lots of areas is inefficient and we've got to make the taxpayers' pound go further," he said."The NHS in lots of areas is inefficient and we've got to make the taxpayers' pound go further," he said.
"One of the challenges is that we've got lots of organisations providing healthcare to the same patients and what really we struggle with is how those organisations work together."One of the challenges is that we've got lots of organisations providing healthcare to the same patients and what really we struggle with is how those organisations work together.
"What we feel is if we can get an organisation to help to integrate those services we'd get a better deal for patients and carers.""What we feel is if we can get an organisation to help to integrate those services we'd get a better deal for patients and carers."
A spokesperson for the Department of Health said: "The key thing is that patients get the best possible care, free at the point of use, no matter who provides it."