Best of both worlds

I doff my cap to Labour for kick starting this initiative...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/health-15436685

"

Dr Stephen Dunn, from the NHS in the East of England, says the hospital will continue to be paid at NHS rates for its work while it is being run by Circle. The company was chosen after a competitive tendering process, and has to assume all the financial risk involved.

"It's a hugely original deal - we've managed to avoid the possibility of closing the hospital. We've got a solution to the debt - and have plans that allow us to meet the efficiency challenges the NHS faces."

Any significant changes in services at the hospital will have to be agreed with the local NHS and the public will have to be consulted.

Circle chief executive Ali Parsa accepted the company was taking on a challenge. He said the strength of its approach was in increasing the involvement of doctors and nurses.

"We want to create a John Lewis-style model with everyone who works there in charge of the hospital, letting them own the problems and solve them. We will try everything we can to make this small hospital viable - if we can how fantastic would that be?"

The deal has taken almost a year from the plans being sent to the government for approval, to the contract being given the go ahead. The approval for the tendering process began under the last Labour government.

"