'NHS plot? I wish there was'

By Sir Gerry Robinson

A year ago businessman Sir Gerry Robinson went into Rotherham Hospital in South Yorkshire to see if he could sort out the NHS. He has now returned to see how things have changed.

Sir Gerry has returned to Rotherham Hospital

A year ago I spent almost six months with the staff at Rotherham Hospital in South Yorkshire. I was shocked by some of the things I found.

Operating theatres were empty on Friday afternoons and there was unbelieveable tension between managers and doctors.

I recently returned and was delighted to find things had changed.

There is a fully operating back-to-back surgery system in place and waiting lists have fallen across the board. The hospital is infused with a "can-do" culture.

But it is not all good news. Rotherham is in danger of becoming a victim of NHS reforms.

A polyclinic is to be built just two miles from the hospital which will replicate a lot of what the hospital does from minor surgery to diagnostics.

The argument that this is "care in the community" makes no sense to me. Surely the hospital is in the community, in fact at the heart of the community.

'On the hoof'

When the centre is up-and-running it is likely to deprive the hospital of valuable patients and therefore funds that it needs to keep operating.

A great deal better value would be had by using the expensive facilities that we already havee Sir Gerry Robinson

There just doesn't seem to be any overall planning. It is being done on the hoof.

So a perfectly good existing facility could end up struggling and that will be a shame.

I am not saying that the only way forward is to protect every hospital. But a great deal better value would be had by using the expensive facilities that we already have.

It would also save a great deal of expense if every move was made against a well thought through overall plan.

I also found that the hospital was hamstrung by the new IT system for the NHS.

A national IT system is planned but has been much delayed.

This means the hospital is stuck with its old systems which are creaking and poorly supported.

I was also struck by the inflexibility in the NHS.

At Rotherham a really good surgeon wanted to be paid for each procedure he did.

When he couldn't he left to work in a private hospital - a huge loss to Rotherham General.

If that had been a business it would have found the money because he was an excellent surgeon and a good source of income for the hospital.

What makes even less sense is that this surgeon is now treating NHS patients in the private sector. You couldn't make it up.

Can Gerry Robinson fix the NHS? - One Year On will be broadcast at 9pm on Wednesday December 12 on BBC Two.