Hansard

NHS: Turnaround Teams

Volume 685: debated on Monday 9 October 2006

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Baroness Barker

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the comments by the Lord Warner on 7 June (HL Deb, col. 1269), what budget the Department of Health has allocated for the provision of turnaround teams to work with National Health Service trusts, primary care trusts and strategic health authorities; and [HL6877]

How many turnaround teams have been sent to work with National Health Service trusts, primary care trusts and strategic health authorities since January 2006; and what has been the cost of these teams; and [HL6878]

Whether the cost of turnaround teams for National Health Service trusts, primary care trusts and strategic health authorities are met by individual trusts or authorities or by the Department of Health centrally; and [HL6879]

Which firms supply the personnel for turnaround teams for National Health Service trusts, primary care trusts and strategic health authorities.[HL6880]

The Minister of State, Department of Health
(Lord Warner)

In December 2005, the Secretary of State for Health announced the creation of turnaround teams. These teams visited the National Health Service bodies identified as facing particular financial difficulties.

This assessment stage resulted in KPMG rating organisations as 1) Immediate priority. Need for urgent intervention to drive turnaround 2) Additional expertise/resource needed to support the turnaround. 3) Drive/focus. Maintain high priority of actions. 4) Regular challenge of management. Encourage to share what works and deliver easy wins.

A list of the firms providing support to the trusts in these categories has been placed in the Library. The Department of Health is funding the national programme office and the strategic health authorities turnaround directors but trusts and primary care trusts are responsible for funding the support they decide they require.

The department will spend in 2005-06 and 2006-07 about £11 million (excluding value added tax and expenses) on the turnaround programme at a national and SHA level covering local baseline assessments, a national programme office, one-off local support payments and SHA turnaround directors.