An investigation has been launched to establish if the health care commissioners for Waltham Forest properly selected a provider for services.

Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) from Barking and Dagenham, Redbridge, Havering, and Waltham Forest have been accused of failing to properly follow the tendering process over elective care services at a treatment centre in North East London.

The North East London NHS Treatment Centre currently provides patients with a range of planned care services, such as general surgery, ophthalmology and ear, nose and throat.

Former providers Care UK Clinical Services Ltd has complained about how the CCGs selected Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust to operate it.

Healthcare watchdog Monitor is conducting the review.

The health regulator will examine whether the CCGs’ arrangements to select a provider of these services were in the best interests of patients, in accordance with the NHS rules on procurement, choice and competition.

It will also look at whether rules for determining how prices are set for certain NHS services were followed.

Monitor will now gather and review information from Care UK Clinical Services Ltd, the CCGs and other relevant organisations before deciding how to proceed.

Catherine Davies, Executive Director of Co-operation and Competition at Monitor said: "This complaint raises important questions for patients about how elective services are commissioned and paid for.

“Our investigation is at an early stage and we have not yet reached a view as to whether there has been any breach of the rules. We are now seeking further information from the organisations involved."

A spokesperson on behalf of NHS Barking and Dagenham, Redbridge, Havering, and Waltham Forest Clinical Commissioning Groups said: “Barking and Dagenham, Redbridge, Havering, and Waltham Forest Clinical Commissioning Groups will cooperate fully with Monitor to help them collect the information they require.

“Whilst this is disappointing news, the CCGs remain confident that our arrangements to select a provider of these services were in the best interests of patients, in accordance with the NHS rules on procurement, choice and competition.”