Essex NHS LIFT deal up for grabs

The second fourth-wave NHS LIFT scheme is up for grabs. The £100m South East Essex scheme is looking for a private sector partner to help deliver state-of-the-art GP surgeries and primary care centres, along with a range of community, social and leisure facilities over the life of the 25-year contract.

One aspect which differentiates the fourth wave of NHS LIFT schemes from previous waves is the option to include the provision of clinical services in the contract.

This controversial move, which has been condemned by health workers as the privatisation of the NHS by stealth, has had mixed responses from potential bidders.

One NHS LIFT contractor said: “We are not worried by this. We will leave our health provider in the consortium to sort this one out. But it will be interesting to see how many schemes take up this option.”

However, another leading LIFT player warned that the provision of clinical services would expose LIFT consortia to a new level of risk: “It is one thing to be responsible for the quality of buildings or management services, and another to take clinical risk. I don’t know if we would go there.”

* Contract Journal is holding a conference on NHS LIFT on Tuesday 27 September in central London. Brian Johns, chief executive of Partnerships for Health, will kick off the conference with an update on NHS LIFT schemes  in England.

Other speakers will cover the introduction of LIFT in Northern Ireland and Scotland.  To book a seat call 0207 347 3573 or book online at www.conferencesandtraining.com/LIFT.