Healthcare

Our leading Projects group has acted for both the private and public sector on public sector health projects and have encountered and provided solutions to issues in the development of commercial arrangements in the NHS.

With the publication of the Health White Paper the NHS faces yet more challenge and change. This will introduce:

• potential opportunities for the independent sector to benefit from the abolition of PCTs and the transfer of commissioning into the hands of GP consortia;
• fresh opportunities for joint ventures between the NHS and the private sector;
• a new market for specialist health service organisations through e.g. social enterprises.

We are ideally placed to help our clients meet these challenges.

We have experience in advising on the devolving of powers from the former health authorities to PCTs; advice on the interpretation, management and enforcement of statutory terms of service with primary care providers (i.e. G.P.s, dentists, pharmacists and optometrists); purchasing responsibilities of the NHS including specific treatments and general primary health care combined with local authority provision of social care; advice on clinical trials and interaction between public research, private research and the NHS indemnity; and the implementation of joint working schemes for the provision of health and social care services under s.31 of Health Act 1999.