Britain’s best-performing hospitals could be allowed to sell off their land and keep the proceeds, according to government proposals aimed at shaking up the NHS.
The proposals, announced by Health Secretary Alan Milburn in the House of Commons yesterday, form part of government plans to involve more private and not-for-profit companies in the health service.
Under the initiative, the best-performing hospitals would be turned into “foundation hospitals” or not-for-profit trusts with greater financial freedoms. The poorest-performing hospitals will be handed over to new management from neighbouring NHS Trust or private companies.
Milburn said that under the current system “an NHS Trust that sells assets of spare land, for example, is not allowed to keep the proceeds for itself. We should consider a different regime for the best-performing hospitals; if those that have spare capacity, land and assets want to sell them, they should get the proceeds”.
EGi News 16/01/02
