A sustainability and transformation partnership in the capital has dropped plans to centralise elective orthopaedic work at two sites.
Commissioners in south east London consulted on changing the number of centres performing elective orthopaedic care from eight to two as part of their savings and efficiency plans.
But the Our Healthier South East London STP wrote to councillors this week saying the plans for a two site model had been dropped. The STP’s names is retained from a previous working group involved in the trust special administration process after the dissolution of South London Healthcare Trust in 2013.
A three site model will now be pursued – however, trusts failing to hit standards in 18 months could still have work sent elsewhere.
Lewisham and Greenwich Trust looked most likely to lose work, according to an early assessment by commissioners of where the centres would be best located.
Elective orthopaedic procedures are a significant income stream for most trusts and the overlap with trauma surgery can have implications for the viability of emergency services.
Full story in The HSJ, 12 July 2017