NHS trust's talks with Virgin group

6:58am Sunday 20th July 2008

The Camden Primary Care Trust had an "informal meeting" with Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group earlier this year, it is confirmed.

The trust said Virgin Healthcare was "one of a number of companies which are interested in working with GPs".

But the trust, which is responsible for delivering primary healthcare in Camden, north London, denied that Sir Richard's company planned to launch a private bid to run a new polyclinic in the borough.

Claire Torkington, for the trust, said the discussion at the meeting had covered polyclinics, a development at University College Hospital which would house a wide range of women and children's services, and the bid to identify better quality accommodation for four of the trust's GP practices which were housed in poor quality premises.

"No proposals were made by any party during the course of that discussion and Camden PCT has had no further discussion with Virgin," she said.

"Virgin Healthcare is one of a number of companies which are interested in working with GPs particularly after the publication of Lord Darzi's Healthcare for London report. They have been talking to PCTs across London and indeed nationally," she said.

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