Virgin win £700million contract to run more than 200 NHS services

RICHARD Branson's Virgin group has won a £700million contract to run more than 200 NHS services, it has emerged.

It marks the first time a for-profit firm will deliver a council's social care services for adults.

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Health bosses NHS Clinical Commissioning Group for Bath and North East Somerset yesterday voted unanimously in favour the deal with Virgin Care.

It was approved by 35 votes to 22 at a council meeting Bath.

It means Virgin Care, a private company, will run or oversee more than 200 health care and social care services in the area.

The seven-year contract is thought to be the financially-largest deal the company has ever won from a single authority.

But it is understood Virgin Care will reinvest any profit.

Earlier this year Virgin Care were awarded a £126million contract to take over services at hospitals in Kent.

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Cllr Vic Pritchard, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health said: "The Council has voted to follow the recommendation of a wide range of service users, carers and subject matter experts who have dedicated hundreds of hours to scrutinising the bids and really understand how services need to change.

"This decision marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the integration of health and care services in Bath and North East Somerset.

"Local people can look forward to a more joined up and personalised service in the future with the focus firmly on prevention and supporting people to maintain their independence."

Dr Ian Orpen, clinical chair of the CCG added: "I am pleased that we can now start the process of transferring services.

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"Following extensive consultation with local people and a very rigorous procurement process, the board is assured that Virgin Care is the right organisation to deliver the personalised and preventative care that local people have asked for."

Since 2006 Virgin Care has treated more than five million people via more than 250 NHS and social care services it runs or oversees.

Now the company will be responsible for running three statutory services - adult social care, continuing healthcare and children's community health - from April 2017.

We're fighting to oppose the contract. We have concerns about what this means for staff conditions and service delivery. Were extremely concerned

Lewis Carson, Unison

Unlike in children's services, there are no laws preventing councils from delegating statutory adult social work functions to profit-making providers.

Bath's adult social care services are currently run by Sirona Care, a not-for-profit social enterprise spun out of the council's social services in 2011.

Virgin Care was selected over a rival bid from a consortium of local services led by Sirona Care.

But unions, social work leaders and staff affected have all raised concerns over the move.

Lewis Carson from Unison said the union's members were opposed to a profit-making firm taking over services.

He said: "We're fighting to oppose the contract. We have concerns about what this means for staff conditions and service delivery.

"From past experience we know staff terms and conditions can be targeted for savings.

"Our members are passionate about the care they deliver and there are a lot of unanswered questions about what this will mean in terms of teams, workloads and day-to-day work.

"We're extremely concerned."