- Answers to our questions:
Steve asked:
According to Meridian Hospital Company PLC accounts for 2024-25: “monthly performance reports have not been agreed by the trust since June 2022 and deductions associated to these reports remain under discussion”. What exactly are the disagreements about performance indicated in this phrase about, how far they have been resolved to date, and has the Trust withheld any unitary charge payments as a result
Helen M asked:
According to Ravensbourne Health Services Ltd accounts for 2024-25 there have been very serious disputes concerning the fulfilment of services agreements.
What exactly were the disputes about and what has happened since August 2025 to correct these issues?
The answer to both was that it is all confidential.
Helen B asked:
I understand that Greenwich Council recently contributed £750,000 to the extension to the A&E at QEH. Given that the PFI company responsible for the building at QEH made pre-tax profits in 2024-25 of £9.5m, and paid dividends of £1.1m, did the company offer to make a contribution to the local community? Did the Trust approach the PFI company for a contribution out of their handsome profits?
The answer was that the building housing the extension was not part of the PFI, was owned by the Trust and there was therefore no question of asking for a contribution from Meridian
Amina asked:
Given the problems with outsourced service contracts can the Trust give a commitment to the local population that all maintenance and ancillary or soft FM services will be brought back in house as the PFI contracts come to an end?
The answer ignored the question about maintenance but said that performing the services in-house was always one of the options considered.
Elizabeth asked:
In May 2025 the Trust confirmed it was using one element of the Federated data Platform (FDP) and indicated that it was considering extending its use.
Why and when did Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust decide to adopt this element of the FDP?
What further elements of FDP have been introduced since May 2025?
What action has the Trust taken to investigate the feasibility of in-house and/or open-source software given the possible cancellation of the government’s NHS contract with Palantir.
Answer: The Trust was used as a pilot which began in March 2023. FDP was rolled out fully in July 2024. Trust is now using 2 elements in the FDP: for care co-ordination and for discharge and transfer teams for complex patients. None others mentioned.
Finance director commented on the value of using FDP for managing costings.
- Other things we learned of note
Finance: The Trust made £40m of ‘efficiency savings’ last year (2025-26), moving the Trust up the League table. It seemed they were supposed to make £56.7m savings.
The Finance director (only 6 months in post) later stated the Trust ended the last year with a £17m shortfall but technically broke even because of a “last-minute allocation made nationally”. 2026-27 still more challenging financial targets and they started planning for making “efficiency savings” in October.
Neighbourhood Health Centres: Much time was spent on this. A few points: the Trust is the ‘Integrator’ for Lewisham and Oxleas Trust is the Integrator for Greenwich and Bexley and there was reference to the risks of this arrangement in the context of integration.
The Integrator is focusing on “providing infrastructure”. Plans to make Downham and Waldron Centre ‘hubs’.
In answer to another public question it transpired that in West Lewisham (Sydenham area) they are working to identify potential sites for hubs by the end of May. Not clear if any new builds and therefore new PFIs involved in all this.
Electronic records
Bits and pieces emerged in relation to Palantir. They are using EPIC. These two Wikipedia pages are useful:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_Systems
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_Systems#Criticisms_and_controversies
Guy’s and St Thomas’s are already using it. Issues around integration with Palantir not sure.
Staff:
- reduction in use of bank and agency staff
- high response to staff survey and positive responses put them near top of some League table
- BUT sickness levels higher than the national average.
Reduced waiting lists from 70,000 to 55,000.
Risks: noted PFI “asset verification”???
Setting up a UGC at Lewisham (The UGC at QEH is privatised)
Brought in a private firm PA Consulting to look at the recommendations of the CQC inspectors in that aspect of the report covering leadership quality the “Well-led”report.
Notes with further reading on: ELECTRONIC RECORDS / FDP / OPTICA / CQC inspection
EPIC
The adoption of EPIC for Patient records for both Acute & Community Care are to be implemented this year – 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_Systems
Criticisms and controversies
The company has been heavily criticised for its implementation of national health record systems in the UK,[37][38] Denmark,[17][39] Finland[17][40] and Norway.[41][42] A Norwegian government report found that the system puts patient lives at risk and that it is more expensive than foreseen.[43]
Palantir FDP
L&GHT – 2023 -2024
Care co ordination system for elective team and scheduling theatres
Used by London ambulance for feedback on the patients and for staff development training
Optica
https://www.necsu.nhs.uk/digital-applications/optica/ cannot find a link I can access
Used by hospital discharge teams and social care teams
CQC Inspections
Lewisham Hospital
https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-6056863662
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
OQC – the QE final report of Feb 26 inspection due end of May
Well Led Inspections
https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-regulation/providers/assessment/single-assessment-framework/well-ledn/providers/assessment/single-assessment-framework/well-led