NHS Trust withdraws from Barnet Council children’s therapy project UK News

An NHS trust withdrew from a children’s therapy contract with Barnet Council after encountering hardship caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The North East London Foundation Trust (NELFT) notified the termination of the contract for integrated therapies after the impacts of the pandemic “increased pre-existing delivery problems,” according to a report from the council.

The report reveals that the reorientation of healthcare services towards caring for patients with Covid-19 has left some services, such as therapies, struggling to perform their main tasks. The trust has had “considerable difficulties with the capacity, recruitment and retention of staff over the past 12 months,” he adds.

Members of the council’s emergency committee agreed to strike a new deal at a meeting on Thursday, July 8, after questioning officers about when the issues emerged. The current agreement with the trust ends in August.

Asked by Chief of Council Cllr Dan Thomas, Executive Director of Children’s Services Chris Munday admitted the contract should have been part of a plan for the local authority to maintain oversight of purchases.

He said: “It was not in the provisional supply plan, which I apologize for. It should have been.

Termination of the contract, according to the committee’s report, means that the board risks not meeting its legal requirements for assessments, provision of therapies set out in education and health plans, and quality of provision.

He adds that short and medium term performance improvement measures have been put in place and that the board has worked with health providers to prioritize and increase the therapeutic support available for children and families, and schools.

Whittington Health NHS Trust has been tasked with leading the recovery work during the summer and fall terms.

The report proposed awarding a one-year interim contract, effective September 1, with the option of extending it for one year. The board will then undertake a fully competitive process to award the longer term contract.

The members of the emergency committee unanimously approved the recommendations of the report.