NHS 111 and GP out of hours services in east Kent are to be run by one organisation – but there are already fears about the transition to the new provider.
Primecare, which is owned by Allied Healthcare, will provide an integrated service from October, including a care navigator service to help more complex patients remain at home. The current providers are South East Coast Ambulance Service Foundation Trust for 111 and social enterprise IC24 for out of hours GP services.
The four east Kent CCGs say Primecare will initially run the combined service for three years, with an option to extend for another two. It said Primecare came top in a rigorous evaluation by patients and commissioners, who looked at safety, quality, service delivery and overall cost effectiveness.
However, a report to the CCG boards last month on the mobilisation of the new contract has five “red rated” risks including the risks related to this being Primecare’s first 111 contract, staff not transferring across from current operators and a new call centre not being ready in time. Even after planned mitigation, the risk around the new call centre remains at red….read more
