Coventry and Warwickshire hospital in PCT funding dispute

[dutchman]

A hospital is still disputing with its funders how much it should be paid, two months into the financial year.



University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire has not signed a contract with either Coventry or Warwickshire Primary Care Trusts (PCTs).

The dispute relates to a "significant gap" in what both PCTs felt that they could afford to pay and what the hospital initially demanded.

Warwickshire PCT has refused to deny or confirm the gap was originally £20m.

'Agreed soon'

Coventry PCT has also declined to comment on figures.

The two PCTs are now merging and the new chief executive, Stephen Jones, said it had been a "complex process".

He said: "We are working closely with University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire to complete contract negotiations.

"The process is complex, particularly during changing times for the NHS, but I am confident that we will soon reach an agreement on the outstanding issues."

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire added: "We are working closely with them and are confident that the final details will be agreed soon.

Every year, hospitals and PCTs negotiate to see how much work a hospital can do and how much it will be paid.

Efficiency savings

But a hospital source said: "They are offering to pay us tuppence h'apenny to do the work.

"There is a gap between the primary care trusts and ourselves.

"We won't do the work for nothing."

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire said that it still had no plans to cut posts despite having to make efficiency savings of 4%, like other hospitals.

A spokesman said it was trying to reduce the amount of bank and agency staff and out of hours working.

The hospital has had surpluses for each of the previous three years and was pressing ahead to become an independent foundation trust, they added.