Camden News: Dr Alison Buchanan, UnitedHealth

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

Camden News - By TOM FOOT
Published: 24 April 2008

LOYAL DOC FACES FIGHT TO KEEP JOB

US takeover firm tell GP she’s not wanted after 18 years

A DOCTOR at one of the surgeries taken over by American firm UnitedHealth is fighting for her job after 18 years’ loyal service.
Dr Alison Buchanan was contacted by phone during her morning surgery on Friday by the company and told that she would not be needed at the Camden Road Surgery after May 1.
She has been a familiar face at the surgery in Camden Town for nearly two decades and is said to be a favourite among patients.
But she has only ever worked as a locum rather than on a full-time basis and was not offered a contract when UnitedHealth took charge earlier this month.
Dr Buchanan’s husband John Horton, a long-standing GP at the Park End Surgery in South End Green, confronted UnitedHealth bosses at a meeting with the Camden’s Primary Care Trust on Tuesday.
A PCT spokeswoman said last night (Wednesday) that discussions over whether Dr Buchanan would be used in the future were “ongoing”, although her husband said she would be reinstated.
It has led to fears that there will be further shake-ups as UnitedHealth beds in.
Mr Horton said: “Giving a doctor with 18 years’ experience at a surgery 12 days’ notice is simply not on. Also you must think about the patients who have built up relationship with her over such a long time. I think we are seeing how this company is going to work.”
Dr Buchanan covers five surgery sessions each week at the practice – roughly a quarter of the service on offer.
As a locum, she is not covered by Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment (Tupe) rules, protecting employees’ rights during a management transfer.
UnitedHealth, which took control of three surgeries in the south of the borough amid protests, had compiled a list of 23 doctors protected under Tupe and offered them new contracts.
A UnitedHealth spokeswoman said: “UnitedHealth has not sacked anybody. As part of our agreement with Camden PCT the trust identified a list of all staff that we were legally obliged to offer continued employment to under what are called Tupe regulations. We did exactly this and were delighted that almost all of the teams at each of the surgeries, including doctors, nurses and support staff opted to stay with us. Continuity of care is very important to us.”
All doctors at the Brunswick Medical Centre have opted to stay, but three full-time doctors working at the King’s Cross Road and Camden Road surgeries have opted not to take the transfer.
A spokeswoman for Camden Primary Care Trust said: “This was a sessional locum doctor and not an employee of the PCT or UnitedHealth. Locum doctors are not entitled to Tupe. Discussions about her future at the Camden Road Surgery are ongoing.”

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment: