Virgin Care signs Surrey community health services contract

Virgin care has signed a £500 million contract with NHS Surrey to deliver community health services in south west and north west Surrey, which includes Walton and Weybridge, from 2012 to 2017.

Community health services in two Elmbridge towns are to be delivered by a private company.

Virgin Care – formerly Assura Medical – has signed a contract with NHS Surrey, the county’s healthcare commissioner, from 2012 to 2017.

The £500million deal covers community health services in South West and North West Surrey, which includes Walton and Weybridge.

Virgin Care will be responsible for eight community hospitals, as well as community nursing, community dentistry and health visiting.

It will also be responsible for specialist services, such as physiotherapy, diabetes treatment and renal care.

In addition, the company will provide some county-wide services, such as prison healthcare and sexual health services.

All of these services were previously delivered by Surrey Community Health, the provider arm of NHS Surrey.

A joint statement said that the services will continue to be known as Surrey Community Health.

It added that this is essentially a transfer of management and that patients will continue to be cared for by existing staff.

NHS Surrey chief executive Anne Walker said: “This is excellent news for patients, carers and staff in Surrey.

“The successful conclusion of a long involved procurement process resulting in this contract signed with Virgin Care will bring best quality, safety and value for Surrey’s NHS patients, carers and taxpayers.”

Bart Johnson is the chief executive of Virgin Care, which will run and manage services while leasing property from the NHS.

“We are delighted to be working with Surrey Community Health and look forward to making a real difference to patient care in Surrey,” he said.

“We have a strong track record of providing NHS care that is convenient, accessible and most importantly, delivers improved health outcomes for patients while providing improved value for money for the NHS.”

Cliff Bush OBE is chair of the Surrey LINk (Local Involvement Network), which aims to involve communities in, and enable them to influence, health and social care services.

“We are pleased that The Surrey LINk has been fully involved so that the views of patients and the public have been considered,” he said.

“We understand that this agreement will see patients having a bigger say in how services are developed and we look forward to working closely with Virgin Care Services to help them with this.”