THE FINANCIAL meltdown that has led Camden s out-of-hours doctors cooperative to the brink of collapse was laid bare in spectacular fashion last night. At Camden Council s Health Scrutiny Committee meeting Camidoc s acting chief executive James Hood revea

THE FINANCIAL meltdown that has led Camden's out-of-hours doctors cooperative to the brink of collapse was laid bare in spectacular fashion last night.

At Camden Council's Health Scrutiny Committee meeting Camidoc's acting chief executive James Hood revealed that pension fund payments had been used by his predecessor Michael Golding to keep the not-for-profit collective afloat.

He also laid the blame squarely at the door of commissioning bosses NHS Camden, who he accused of using strong-arm tactics to get rid of Camidoc and hand the out-of-ours contract to private healthcare company Harmoni Ltd instead.

He said that the �400,000 given to Camidoc as a bail out by NHS Camden in January was far short of the �750,000 which was needed.

He said: "In effect the decision to hand the temporary contract to Harmoni is a permanent decision."

He added that in financial terms the decision making round of NHS Camden's process had been an absolute shambles.

NHS Camden's decision to award the contract to Harmoni is now subject to two separate legal challenges - one of which has been made by Camidoc.

Liz Wise, NHS Camden's chief executive, said that the decision to hand the contract to Harmoni was taken blind to the nature of the organisation making the bid.

A full report and further reaction will follow in the Ham&High on September 9.