Netcare Orthopaedic Surgery

HASLAR REPORT 'A MISSED OPPORTUNITY', CLAIM MICHELMORES

Closer scrutiny required for outsourced health initiatives in the NHS

The controversial report into failed orthopaedic operations carried out for the NHS by private healthcare provider, Netcare is described as a 'missed opportunity' by Michelmores’ head of clinical negligence, Laurence Vick.

The report was originally scheduled for publication in July, but was withdrawn at the last moment with little explanation.  Enquiries by journalists and others failed to elicit the report's publication, until Laurence Vick threatened to demand its disclosure using the Freedom of Information Act.

The investigation was commissioned by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority following allegations about Netcare operations at MoD Royal Hospital Haslar. The full text appears on the Strategic Health Authority Website www.hiow.nhs.uk/ha-05-134.pdf.

Michelmores believe the report raises questions as to whether the ‘additional tier’ of private health initiatives within the NHS now requires closer scrutiny.

Netcare

Network Healthcare Holdings (Netcare) forms part of the largest private healthcare organisation in South Africa. Their UK subsidiary, Netcare Healthcare UK Ltd, agreed with Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust to provide 1000 orthopaedic procedures at Haslar. The six-month initiative was part of the Government’s Overseas Clinical Teams (OCTs) initiative.

Overseas Clinical Teams (OCTs)

This programme permits overseas medical professionals to work in the UK on a short-term basis. Its aim is to drive down NHS waiting lists by outsourcing to private providers.

The Haslar contract followed Netcare’s other OCT initiatives:

• 'Operation Cataract': cataract operations performed by Netcare surgeons for Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust in Lancashire.
• 'London Choice': ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgery aimed at reducing NHS waiting lists in the London area.
• 'Operation Joint Initiative': hip and knee replacement operations performed for Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust.

Independent Sector Treatment Centres (ISTCs)

In September 2003 Netcare entered a separate partnership with the Department of Health through the NHS Independent Sector Treatment Centres (ISTCs) initiative. Through this contract its Ophthalmology Chain will perform 44,000 cataract operations in the UK over five years in mobile sites nationwide. By 17th November 2004, written answers in Hansard confirm that Netcare had carried out 9000 cataract operations for a total of 37 NHS Primary Care Trusts.

Netcare at Haslar from October 2003 to March 2004

Following a BBC report on 29th April 2004 Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust confirmed that concerns had been raised as to the quality of five hip replacement operations carried out by one surgeon at Haslar. Two patients had been identified as requiring corrective surgery, to be paid for by Netcare. The Trust said that all operations undertaken by this surgeon, as well as hip replacements performed by other Netcare surgeons, would be reviewed to ensure they were of a “standard equitable to the NHS”.

The Strategic Health Authority review was announced in the wake of these concerns to identify any lessons that could be learned by the wider health services.

Continued on page two: The SHA Report

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