A CONTROVERSIAL decision to award a multi-million pound NHS contract to a private company cost health bosses £348,000.

Coastal West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) spent two years working on developing the new £235 million contract to run services dealing with bone, muscle and joint problems in the county.

It eventually named Bupa CSH as the preferred bidder for the service, sparking outrage from MPs and campaign groups who said the change would have an impact on Worthing Hospital and St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester.

An independent assessment into the impact of the new contract revealed it could cost Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs both hospitals, £13.4 million over four years. It would also cause problems attracting and retaining staff.

Bupa CSH announced at the end of last month it was pulling out of the project, leaving CCG bosses trying to work out what to do next.

A member of the Defend the NHS Sussex lobby group said: “It was a waste of money.

“It was only when groups protested and pointed out the effect on hospital services that the separate assessment was carried out and that was when the problems were picked up on.

“I have no problem with efforts to improve services but it should be left to the hospital trust to provide them. We do not believe contracts should be awarded to the private sector and this is a good example of why.”

A spokeswoman for the CCG said: “We remain committed to improving the care of musculoskeletal patients in Coastal West Sussex.

“We are working hard to understand the next steps and how we can achieve these improvements.

“We need to carefully consider the way forward, and are taking legal and procurement advice about our options, before discussing this with our board as soon as possible.

“We are talking to our providers and will continue to make sure patients and the public remain updated.”

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