Revealed: Darzi centres’ decade-long deals

By Steve Nowottny

Some Darzi-centre contracts will not expire until 2020, with PCT bosses having locked the NHS into decade-long deals, Pulse's investigation reveals.

Five years is the standard length for these contracts but three trusts told Pulse they had signed 10-year contracts.

St Andrew's Health Centre in Tower Hamlets, east London, and the Warrington GP health centre both agreed 10-year deals. In Kingston, the Gosbury Hill GP Clinic has a 10-year contract with a five-year break clause.

Last month, health secretary Andrew Lansley told the RCGP conference GP consortia would have to honour Darzi-centre contracts when they take over, insisting ‘a contract is a contract'.

Dr Watson said it was unclear who would inherit responsibility for Darzi-centre contracts, given that GP com- missioning consortia will not have responsibility for commissioning primary care: ‘It was quite clear these were supposed to be short-term, so I think there is a real question if someone has signed up to a 10-year contract.'

Use our interactive map to see how PCTs across the country are reviewing contracts for Darzi centres.

To view the map with the full results from our investigation, please click here.