[A-List] UK corporate state: unhealthy accumulation

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

Milburn set for deal with US firm

John Carvel, social affairs editor
Thursday October 24, 2002
The Guardian

Alan Milburn, the health secretary, was last night poised to sign an
agreement with an American health care company to provide NHS services to
keep frail older people healthy enough to stay in their own homes.

The deal will mark a further step in the government's attempt to move the
NHS away from the socialist ideology of its founder, Nye Bevan.

Mr Milburn said he was "in the final stages" of tying up a deal with the
United Healthcare Group to introduce its Evercare scheme to identify
vulnerable people at highest risk of hospitalisation.

The company will run 10 pilot projects in primary care trusts in England,
providing hands-on support for local GPs and district nurses.

Mr Milburn told a conference of health ministers in Washington that he was
"particularly impressed" by the Evercare scheme's success. The scheme
operated on the assumption that hospitals were dangerous places for the
elderly, to be avoided if possible. An independent evaluation for the
federal government showed a halving of the number of older people admitted
to hospital in 13 cities where the scheme had been implemented.

Mr Milburn said: "We are in the final stages of agreeing to test
introduction of this approach with primary care trusts in Britain, in
partnership with United Healthcare Group." His announcement followed talks
with Tommy Thompson, US health secretary, in Washington this week.