KENDAL could be the venue for a new privately run NHS one-stop treatment centre aimed at blitzing waiting times by treating more patients in the community.
Health service bosses, who say the new centre would revolutionise patient treatment, have confirmed that the town is on a shortlist as a location for the new unit.
Michele Guinness, spokesperson for Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority, confirmed that Kendal was in the running and that Westmorland General Hospital was a "strong contender" as a venue.
However, the plan has been criticised by some GPs who fear it could undermine their clinical judgement. They also pointed out that the health service in Morecambe Bay was in financial dire straits, and yet millions of pounds was being pumped into the private sector.
The new service, CATS - Capture, Assess, Treat and Support would see patients that GPs believe need further assessment dealt with in the community rather than hospital freeing up consultants' time and shortening waiting lists.
The unit, which would be run by an independent company, would provide tests and basic surgery that could be done as day care, dealing with orthopedic (bones), ear nose and throat, general surgery and rheumatology Sue Thompson, director of independent sector commissioning for Cumbria and Lancashire Primary Care Trusts, said it was hoped that by January 2007, at least five, and up to seven, CATS centres would be up and running across the two counties.
"It will mean that patients no longer have to trek around a variety of different places for tests," she said. "Nor will they have to go to hospital and have the discomfort of an overnight stay when it isn't strictly necessary. Diagnosis and treatment will all be provided in the one place."
Explaining that once referred to a CATS centre patients would have all their diagnostic tests completed within four weeks, she added: "This is much more convenient and much quicker care for members of the public, and, since hospital stays are one of the highest costs to the NHS, is good management of the taxpayers' money."
The service is part of multi-million-pound government plans for more private sector involvement in providing NHS services, which will see nearly £200 million invested in Cumbria and Lancashire.
But some GPs raised doubts about the development.
Dalton-in-Furness GP Dr Jake O'Donovan said he was annoyed about the lack of public consultation and felt CATS could undermine doctors' clinical decisions.
"This is a significant change in the way the way primary care (GPs and health centres) is going to work, and where has the public debate about this been?," he said.
"What does that say about our professional competence it seems to be diminishing it rather than assisting it. If we think our patients need to see consultants then that's what we want, not nurses or physicians. What's the point of general practice in that case?
"This is going to lead to a fragmentation of care and clinical problems being solved by financial instruments and we have to ask ourselves if that is what we really want."
Kendal GP Alistair Mackenzie, who claimed GPs had found out about the plans "through the back door," added he was "staggered" by the lack of consultation.
"This comes at a time when we are facing wards closing in a site where they are con-sidering setting up CATS because they are in such financial difficulties that anything that brings in more finance is grabbed with both arms," said Dr Mackenzie.
Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron said the lack of consultation was "appalling". He added it was good that patients were being given more choice, but he was concerned if it meant the private sector could "cherry pick" straightforward services.
Chief executive of Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust Ian Cumming whose organisation runs Westmorland General Hospital said he could not comment about the plan ahead of a meeting with the strategic health authority next week.
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