GP out-of-hours company fears loss of contract as PCT renews tender

By Abi Rimmer, 22 August 2011

East Lancashire Medical Services (ELMS) was founded by GPs in 1993, and now employs 130 local GPs offering out-of-hours services for the local community.

ELMS has run out-of-hours services in East Lancashire for nearly 19 years. In 2007 the company tendered for their current contract.

East Lancashire PCT recently told the company that its contract would soon be up for tender.

EMLS chief executive Diane Ridgway said ELMS did not have to recourses to pull together a tender pitch to compete with large private health providers.

?I?m not convinced we will be able to pull together a tender, without partnering up with a private company who can offer the recourses,? Ms Ridgeway said.

ELMS has called an extraordinary meeting of its GP members to discuss what the next step should be, Ms Ridgway said.

East Lancashire PCT said: ?The decision to re-tender for the provision for the GP out-of-hours service across Pennine Lancashire was made after a recommendation from NHS internal auditors; it was not an easy decision to make, but a contributory factor was the level of criticism received from the auditors in that the contract has been continually rolled over and has not been market tested.?

Source: http://www.gponline.com/channel/news/article/1085645/gp-out-of-hours-company-fears-loss-contract-pct-renews-tender/

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