Private firm ‘risk to NHS patients’ - Clinicenta agency has contract suspended following death of patient in St John's Wood-based hospital

Published: 19 February 2010
by TOM FOOT

A PRIVATE health firm based in Westminster put NHS patients “at risk”, an official report has found.

An investigation is under way into the Clinicenta health agency after its contract was suspended in November following concerns over the death of a patient in November.

The company, based in St John’s and Elizabeth Hospital in St John’s Wood, won a £150million contract with the NHS last July to provide outpatient services usually based in hospitals closer to home.

A report from the Care Quality Commission found a series of failings ranging from staff training to medicine management, concluding the firm provided a “zero-star service” to patients.

It said: “A number of staff did not have all the records to show appropriate recruitment checks were carried out. As a result the agency could be putting people who use the service at risk.” It added: “…there were failures in communication” and “a lack of  compliance with current procedures”.

NHS London said: “About 51 patients being treated by Clinicenta are being transferred back into NHS-run clinics and no new referrals are being accepted. We are unable to give details of the death that occurred.”

While the CQC report has been published the full investigation is ongoing.

A Clinicenta spokeswoman said: “We will co-operate fully with the investigation.”