News & events

Since the publication of the Government's White Paper heralding the health reforms Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS (12 July 2010), a key plank of which is the abolition of Primary Care Trusts, those with an interest in the PCT estate, naturally have been ruminating over the vexed question of the future of such estate.

Yesterday, Andrew Lansley confirmed what had been leaked to the Press the previous week, with the announcement that any PCT estate not transferring to providers of community services under the Transforming Community Services initiative, will transfer to NHS Property Services Limited (NHSPL) being a wholly owned vehicle of the Department of Health.

Lansley outlined 5 core objectives, with the delivery of best value estates' services and solutions lying at the heart of this new company and an aim to sell off surplus estate.

For an organisation that intriguingly has been in existence for just over 5 weeks, NHSPL has hardly "hit the ground running" and there remain many key questions to be answered such as:

• How will NHSPL interact with the newly established Clinical Commissioning Groups and the National Commissioning Board?
• Will existing PCT employees TUPE into the new organisation?
• Does the choice of corporate structure for NHSPL (a limited liability company) pave the way for the future sell off of this "family silver"?
• How will NHS LIFT fit into this structure and who will sit in the shoes of the PCT in LIFT developments?
• Will the private sector enjoy any role in shaping the primary care estate in the future?

Andrew Lansley did advise that "the arrangements" for NHSPL, which are widely expected to involve the creation of regional outposts "will be finalised in the coming months" but such questions require urgent answers.