Unfortunately, we are currently hearing some speeches from certain groups who intend to influence public opinion by spreading all kinds of claims against public-private collaboration so as to eliminate or reverse it. In healthcare, little or no importance is given to the management model developed by Ribera Salud which provides fair access to health services; neither does it value its efficiency, its care quality, the savings it brings with it, or the degree of citizen satisfaction. Similarly, no importance is given to the future of workers if their centres were to revert to traditional direct management instead of a collaborative type of management.
We have always had to deal with criticism due to the lack of reports and studies which support our health management model. This is something I have never understood since our system has been endorsed by the renowned universities of Berkeley and Harvard, and even institutions as prestigious as the World Bank and many other national and international bodies who have studied us, and now we must add, in a very prominent manner, the report from the Sindicatura de Cuentas (Court of Auditors). For the first time, an assessment from the Court of Auditors, commissioned by the Valencian government, will value carefully the way we work. As we value accountability, transparency and good governance we have always asked for independent reports and this latest one particularly pleases me although I am surprised that, being so compelling, no-one has asked me to speak about it since its publication.
At Ribera Salud we have always advocated clarity in accountability to citizens, the responsibility and active participation of agents involved in management (especially of professionals) because the greater or lesser efficiently of public-private collaboration is directly linked with the norms of good governance. I believe that everything can be improved and, as stated in the manifesto from the Court of Auditors report, I also consider that we should improve various aspects of the contract with the government adapting it to new models of public governance. In order for the public-private collaboration to be efficient, it is essential that the Public Administration assume the role of organiser, regulator and reviewer. The planning, monitoring, and assessment of the management of public-private collaboration is essential to achieve efficiency and effectiveness when outsourcing a service sustainably over time. Only in this way will the competence and experience of the private sector create public value for the Government and all citizens.