MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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I appreciate this is a long shot but has anyone here had any experience of the private pathology companies being used by the nhs, in particular via path?
Am considering applying for a job with them but am slightly hesitant as it would mean breaking my nhs service, pension and annual leave are both pretty good also. Would be interested to hear if the pressures on budgets and staffing are any better or worse than in public sector.
I just know of TDL who are doing well. The staff there seem pretty happy and they have good retention. Sonic Healthcare are a pretty successful operation.
I guess whether it's a good move to change from NHS to private depends on who you think will be in power for the next few year conservative or labour.
I guess whether it's a good move to change from NHS to private depends on who you think will be in power for the next few year conservative or labour.
Considering Milburn & Hewitt both picked up posts with companies aiming to increase the role of private healthcare in the NHS as soon as they left DoH, I wouldn't count on anything.
In our attempts to use the private sector in surgery, the private sector were a joke, Huge staff turnover and eventually punted due to consistent adin failings (they used nhs staff for all clinical work so the only savings they could make were on the admin side). That said we're also outsourcing radiology reporting and that seems to be working ok. The difference is probably that surgery was politically driven but radiology fills a gap in that we can't recruit enough consulatant grade radiologists, so the question I'd be inclined to ask is are you moving your safe job and pension to a company dependamt on next weeks political whims.
It would be with via path who are partially owned by guys, kings st Thomas trust.
The plus sides is it is at a relatively senior level within quite a specialist field so it can't be farmed out to a cheaper bidder and there are limited people in the country with the experience to do it.
The company seem to be reasonably successful, had a quick look at annual statements and profits are going up which is a good sign but I suppose I gave qualms about leaving the security of a system I know. With 2 kids and a mortgage peace if mind us quite valuable!
Used to work in blood work as a BMS and do not miss night shifts but the job was easy.
Reading Stoner's link I'd think twice! Sounds like profits are up because they're diddling the tax payer and cutting costs in the wrong places (the staff).
Unless you're getting a considerable pay rise or the role is a lot more attractive I think I'd stay put. That said, there's most likely a bit of sensationalism to that news piece.
Some of the things that areemtipned in the report are happening in every lab in the country and have been for years, downgrading posts and no filling vacant posts are the tip of the iceberg. I currently work in probably the wealthiest trust in the country and we have a 10% saving every year.
Spoke to someone in the department today and he was quite up best particularly in terms of investment in the service and the creation of new posts due to increased work load.
Something to think about for sure!