Saturday 28 November 2009

Darzi Clinics down the Kharzi


It seems that the “new exciting all things to all patients” private/NHS Darzi clinics are about to be sold off or closed down.

Why you may ask? and the reason is that Assura have lost £4.5 Million ‘running’ them.

“Despite having won or reached preferred bidder stage for 68 tenders, including a string of GP led health centres across the country, Assura revealed losses before interest and taxes in its medical division of £4.5m.

City experts say Assura shareholders would rather the GP operations were sold off or shut as they are not expected to earn enough money to make a profit for a considerable period.

Announcing its half yearly results, Assura warned that the current high volume of procurement for contracts, such as the Darzi rollout, was likely to slow after the general election and warned that the medical business would ‘be loss making for some time and will consume further cash.’

It added: ‘The board is in the process of evaluating a number of options to separate the GPCo business from the rest of the group.'

City analyst Investec said the move ‘could include sale, spin-off or closure’ of the GP ventures.

It added that it would cost Assura around £10m to spin off or close the ventures but that the benefits of either move would outweigh the long-term damage to the company’s share value of holding on to the loss making division.”

Despite opening a string of centres in Bath, Coventry, Stockton, Hartlepool, Reading, Hull, Hertford and Cheshunt, since April, just three of Assura’s GP companies reported a profit in the first six months of the year.

Well done Ara Darzi, you managed to waste millions on this half baked idea, and now that you are gone so are your clinics.
So much for "better treatment for patients".


I think I may start a petition to re-nationalise the NHS.


Angus

Angus Dei on all and sundry

AnglishLit

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