Cornwall council scraps privatisation plans

Cornwall council has scrapped plans to privatise a range of children’s services.

The council put its children’s community health services out to tender to private companies and not-for profits in April this year, in a contract worth up to £40m.

NHS Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group planned to commission out additional services including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, specialist eating disorder and learning disability services.

Integration

However, in a joint statement, the CCG and council said they had decided to discontinue the current procurement process for 17 different children’s community health services and would instead integrate health and social care services.

Devolution deal

The move follows the announcement of the Cornwall devolution deal which transfers  greater power and accountability from central government to local government in the area. As part of the deal, the council and local health organisations were invited to produce a business case for the integration of health and social care services.

The joint statement said: “The decision will allow NHS Kernow and Cornwall council to explore alternatives to deliver seamless children’s services.

“Children and their families using existing services will not be affected by this decision. They should attend appointments as normal.”