[A-List] UK corporate state: unhealthy accumulation

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

Failing NHS hospitals to be run by 'outsiders'
By Andrew Grice
The Independent
20 December 2002

Managers from successful hospitals or the private sector will be parachuted
into three "failing" hospital trusts early next year, the Government
announced yesterday.

Alan Milburn, the Health Secretary, has angered Labour MPs and trade unions
with the management changes at United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust, Royal
United Hospital Bath NHS Trust and the Good Hope Hospital in Birmingham. He
published a list of approved bidders for the contracts, which included eight
private health companies and 62 high-performing NHS trusts.

Mr Milburn said no NHS hospital should be left to "sink or swim" or denied
the best expertise. He added: "We want to share their [outside managers]
skills with underperforming NHS hospitals so we can get the best from both."

"The announcement represents another step in Alan Milburn's Road to Damascus
conversion to market forces," said Liam Fox, the Tories' Shadow Health
Secretary.

John Edmonds, general secretary of the GMB union said: "This is
privatisation through the front door."