Concern over NHS outsourcing to India

9:41am Wednesday 19th November 2008

Comments (7)   Have your say »

INDIAN processing centre staff will soon be registering new patients because NHS Waltham Forest has privatised most of its administrative operations.

The organisation, formerly known as the Waltham Forest Primary Care Trust, has contracted out provision of patient records, payments and contracts management to NHS Shared Business Services (SBS), a joint venture between private company Steria and the Department of Health.

The plan, the first of its kind in the country, should save £224m over ten years which will be ploughed back in to frontline care.

NHS SBS is now responsible for maintaining GP records, calling people for screening appointments and making payments to healthcare professionals.

When patients register with a new GP in the borough, the details on the form they fill out will go to India to be inputted into the organisation’s system.

NHS Waltham Forest is at pains to point out that all personal documents and sensitive registrations will still be dealt with in the UK.

A spokesman also said all NHS staff will be given jobs with the new organisation, with the same terms and conditions under TUPE regulations.

However Dave Knight, from the Unison union said: “We would be concerned about what’s going to happen to the personal details of local residents.

“TUPE agreements often do not last. In six months or a year our members’ contracts are usually reviewed.”

NHS Waltham Forest is leading six other trusts across North East London in the initiative.

Chief executive Sally Gorham said: “NHS SBS have the knowledge and capability to supply a first class service.

“They understand the complexities of NHS payment systems and are able to fully support the needs of all the PCTs in the region.”

Steria is an IT company which employs over 19,000 staff in 16 countries, including 5,000 in India and has its headquarters in Paris.

On December 31, 2007, Steria revenue amounted to €1.4 billion. The group, headquartered in Paris, is listed on the Euronext Paris market.