Mid and South Essex Foundation Trust recently discovered at least 1,000 cases were being returned to the trust from independent provider Omnes Healthcare following “complications” with a pathway for ear, nose and throat patients.
CEO Matthew Hopkins told a board meeting last Thursday: “I think other parts of the country, like us, are seeing independent sector providers in some cases overpromising and underdelivering. The consequence of that is what we’ve seen in the ENT example.”
The contract is managed by Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board.
Omnes disputed at least 1,000 patients were returning to the trust because it had incorrectly recorded waiting times in the ENT pathway. However, the company had not responded to further approaches to clarify the matter at the time of publication.
Full article in the HSJ, 6 October 2023
