Virgin Healthcare, a new business from the Virgin Group, will enter the primary healthcare market in 2008. Credit: Virgin Healthcare.

The Virgin Group has announced that a new business, Virgin Healthcare, will enter the primary healthcare market – opening centres jointly with NHS GPs and other healthcare professionals.

The centres will consolidate a wide range of primary care health services in state of the art facilities. The first Virgin Healthcare centre will open later in 2008 – with an initial roll-out of five further centres, located across England, to open by the end of 2009.

Virgin Healthcare plans to work with existing GP practices in their current structures and under their existing contracts with Primary Care Trusts (PCTs). Under this arrangement, GPs will work alongside other healthcare professionals and Virgin Healthcare to jointly create centres that provide a selection of services for the benefit of all patients.

The NHS services will still be free at the point of delivery, and Virgin Healthcare will add in a range of other healthcare services tailored to local demand, which could include dentistry, diagnostics, screening, a pharmacy and a range of conventional and complementary therapies.

Mark Adam, Virgin Healthcare Chief Executive, commented: “As with all Virgin businesses, Virgin Healthcare is getting involved in an area where we feel we can make a real difference. Virgin’s expertise in customer service, technological know how, communication skills and resources can combine with the expertise of primary healthcare clinicians to make that difference in the healthcare sector.

“The Virgin Healthcare model is to work with healthcare professionals under existing NHS contracts. They will retain their independent contractor status and Virgin Heathcare will seek to expand and offer more patient services in existing practices. Virgin Healthcare does not intend to bid for Alternative Provider Medical Services (APMS) contracts.”

An early priority for the Virgin Healthcare team is to consult with GPs and their practice teams across England, so from 4 February until 19 March the management team will be presenting their plans to and inviting feedback from GPs and their practice teams in 26 venues located across the country.

For more information, visit: www.virginhealthcare.net