CONCERNS have been raised that community health services in Ryedale could be privatised.

York Hospital Trust has confirmed it is not bidding to renew its contract to run everything from district nursing to podiatry to the fast response teams, which helps stop people needing to travel to hospital in Scarborough and Ryedale.

Trust boss Patrick Crowley said in a letter to staff that Scarborough and Ryedale Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) had decided to run a commercial procurement process, even though the trust had made it clear that this kind of procurement would not be best for the area.

As many as 240 staff will be affected, with their jobs transferred to a new provider, which may not be an NHS body, from next April.

Mr Crowley said: “The CCG’s new specification for these services has now been published and reviewed by our management team.

“We have, reluctantly, reached the conclusion that the ambitious service expectations, the resources available for us to deliver them and the timescales for delivery would place an unreasonable degree of financial risk on the trust at a time when it can be ill afforded.”

He said the risk came in the trust’s view “as an experienced provider of community services” from the amount of money available for the services, financial penalties linked to non-delivery of the very ambitious key performance indicators built into the new contract, and the CCG’s desire to put in a “risk share” arrangement, meaning the new provider might have to help pay for emergency and A&E.

A member of staff at Malton Hospital, who asked not to be named, said: "At the moment no-one knows what is going to happen, but it is unlikely that another hospital trust could implement the services the CCG has stipulated at present funding levels.

"A bid by a private company could be placed, but to make it financially viable, services would suffer greatly, with unqualified staff having more responsibilities, forced on them. Staff shortages are already stretching services to its limits and pressure on existing staff is great."

District and county councillor Lindsay Burr, who launched a campaign in 2012 with the Gazette & Herald following plans to cut opening hours at Malton minor injuries unit, said: "This is an extremely worrying time for our residents, hospital staff, GPs and its services.

"How can the CCG ultimately decide to sell off services without the community being involved. I raised this at County Hall only a few weeks ago but got no reassuring news. Malton Hospital services must be preserved. We all have a vested interest in this wonderful service and I only hope our local doctors can influence talks with any new partners and not be left in the dark.

"I will certainly do all I can to save the continuance of our services at the hospital, however, it looks very likely Malton Hospital is about to be privatised."

A CCG spokesman said the procurement process was under way meaning it could not comment on many details, but said the CCG was required to comply with procurement rules, and the successful bidder would be chosen late this year.

He said the CCG was trying to improve integration of services between community services, primary care GP services, and social care through the procurement.