Darzi centres heralded as “massive waste of money”
Released 19/08/2011
PCTs struggle to justify Darzi centres after revelations of low patient numbers
Darzi centres have been heavily criticised following high costs and low patient figures
Statistics from over 95 PCTs have revealed that 26% of Darzi centres have fewer than 500 registered patients, and that 35% had fewer than 1,000 patents.
The new information was gained through the Freedom of information Act and revealed via investigation by GP online that also found that over 12% of all Darzi centres had no registered patients whatsoever (though some stated that they did not offer this option). One of the centres had just a single registered patient.
Each PCT was forced to set up a Darzi centre under the previous government as part of a plan to provide primary patient care seven days a week between the hours of 8am and 8pm each day.
The centres cost around £1.1m each year and the General Practitioners Committee’s (GPC) negotiator, Dr Peter Holden, has stated that the on reflection the centres were “a massive waste of money”, saying that it was “outrageous” that centres had failed to register fewer than 500 patents.
Adelaide Surgery in Southampton has just 1,220 patients registered, GP Online reveals, despite receiving £907,000 in 2011/12, which means the centre receives around £743 per patient per year – or seven times as most GP practices.
Some centres have been defended by their respective PCTs, with PCTs in some cases blaming the low patient registration to location, and others stating that the establishment of the centre in the first place was a forced and unwanted action.
Caroline Morris, senior commissioner for primary care at NHS Isle of Wight, stated: “We were sceptical if there was a need for a further practice. While one patient is quite a lot lower than we expected, we never expected it to be very high.”
GPC chairman Dr Laurence Buckman has also condemned the “vast majority” of Darzi centres were as a “millstone around the neck of the NHS”. He said the GPC position is that all Darzi centres must be closed. “We all believe they are a complete waste of money. I won't be sorry to see them go.”
The DH has released a statement that says that judgement of the Darzi centres not to be reliant upon patient registration alone.
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