Giving evidence to the Health Select Committee on commissioning, GPC deputy chairman Dr Richard Vautrey warned that losing the top quality PCT managers to private firms would be a ‘disaster for the NHS’.
But he warned that he has already heard examples of whole departments of PCT staff accepting redundancy terms.
‘What we don’t want to do is for the best mangers to leave and go to large multi-national firms only have to hire them back at an inflated rate of pay and also to add on the redundancy payments as well,' he said. 'That would be a disaster for the NHS as a whole. It would be very costly.’
Dr Vautrey called on the government to make clear to PCTs managers the benefits of staying in the NHS.
He said: ‘What’s been lacking is a very clear message from the centre saying: "Yes, we do need and value your services, we want to retain your expertise and your future will be best in these emerging organisations".'
RCGP chairman Professor Steve Field added that up-skilling PCT managers with the competencies needed for the future would be one way of retaining them in the NHS.
He said: ‘We need to do something with managers and their professional development over the next 18 month. What I would like to see an increased emphasis on supporting NHS managers so they can acquire the skills they need for the new world. And that should help with retention.’
