Chesterfield Royal Hospital to outsource 'essential' service to private company

Bosses at Chesterfield Royal Hospital have confirmed they are to outsource an ‘essential’ service to a private company.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The trust which runs the hospital says it has ‘completed a thorough and lengthy review process’ to determine how its medical device management and decontamination services should be provided in future.

A spokesperson for the trust said: “It’s a service that is essential to the safe and effective running of clinical services and by outsourcing we are able to protect terms and conditions for existing staff, make quality and compliance improvements, along with reduced equipment supply and maintenance costs.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Unlike many other outsourced models the trust’s contract stipulates assurances that decontamination services, including endoscopy decontamination, will remain on site. There are also proposals for theatre equipment management, endoscopy equipment management, along with joint working options and innovation that would lead to exemplar reference site status.”

Chesterfield Royal Hospital is to outsource an 'essential' service to a private company.Chesterfield Royal Hospital is to outsource an 'essential' service to a private company.
Chesterfield Royal Hospital is to outsource an 'essential' service to a private company.

Although an anonymous letter sent to the Derbyshire Times claimed the move was being made without consultation and staff were being ‘virtually silenced’, this was denied by trust bosses.

The spokesperson added: “Staff have been fully briefed on the situation and recognise the benefits in relation to securing decontamination services for the future, along with career development opportunities and investment to accredit the service. Protecting valuable support services and jobs for staff in these services has always been our priority in any decision making process about their future.”