Statement on CAMIDOC being replaced by a private provider

Commenting on the decision to replace CAMIDOC, North London’s not-for-profit, out-of-hours GP service, with private provider Harmoni, David Lammy (MP for Tottenham) said:

“The government is auctioning off our NHS brick-by-brick.”

“They’ve replaced a not-for-profit service run by local people, for local people, with a private provider that has never worked in the local area.”

“The government have rushed this out over the summer on purpose so local people weren’t even consulted – what happened to the Big Society?”

“Patients are being put at risk by a for-profit company putting cost before care.”

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Notes to Editors:

1. For further details, please contact David Lammy’s office on 020 7219 0899.
2. CAMIDOC is a not-for-profit GP service, run by the GPs themselves, that has operated in North London for 12 years.
3. CAMIDOC served the Primary Care Trusts of Haringey, Enfield, Islington, Hackney and City – 950,000 Londoners.
4. Last year, Harmoni’s annual turnover was £73million.
5. In a recent MORI survey CAMIDOC gained the second highest patient satisfaction rating in the whole of London.
6. In March, CAMIDOC won a 3 year extension to the contract following a competitive procurement process. Harmoni also tendered for this, but was not chosen or even interviewed. In just 4 months, this decision was overturned.
7. Over 200 doctors have written to Conservative Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley, and London Mayor, Boris Johnson, to protest against the changes.
8. Harmoni took over the service on 1st September, only weeks after the decision was made, and without any consultation of local residents.