A private company running a Bradford treatment centre has lost its contract to operate the service providing day surgery and diagnostic services to NHS patients from across the district.

Nations Healthcare has run Eccleshill NHS Treatment Centre since it opened in July 2005 as a partnership between it and primary care trusts in Bradford and Leeds.

In its first year more than 20,000 NHS patients were treated at the £6 million centre, but in January 2007 keyhole surgery was suspended after the death of a patient.

John Hubley, 58, of Leeds, died after suffering massive blood loss when his portal vein was ruptured during a keyhole bladder operation.

Now, following a “robust and thorough tendering process”, NHS Bradford and Airedale has awarded Care UK preferred-bidder status to provide services at the centre.

Matt Neligan, director of strategy at NHS Bradford and Airedale, said: “I’m delighted that we have now reached this important stage in securing a new contract that delivers high-quality service pathways and represents good value for money for patients across Bradford, Airedale and Leeds.”

Nations Healthcare will continue to deliver services at Eccleshill until June 30. NHS Bradford and Airedale is working with Nations Healthcare and Care UK to ensure a smooth transition to the new arrangements.

Mark Hunt, Care UK’s managing director of health care, said: “Over the past five years Care UK has built up a huge amount of experience of running NHS treatment centres elsewhere in the country. Ninety-four per cent of our patients rate us as very good or excellent and we have never had a case of hospital-acquired MRSA.

“As the largest independent provider of both primary and secondary care services to the NHS, I am also confident that we can help the local PCTs to address the efficiency demands that they will increasingly have to face.”

Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust had considered bidding for the contract to run the centre, but decided not to pursue it.

A spokesman said: “Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has historically provided a range of services to Eccleshill NHS Treatment Centre including medical staffing, clinical governance and blood products.

“The foundation trust considered whether it should bid to be the provider of the whole of the service provided from Eccleshill NHS Treatment Centre but we decided not to pursue a bid.

“The foundation trust did agree with Circle Health Limited – owners of Nations Healthcare (North Bradford) – that we would support them by extending our existing contracts for the period of the extension. We look forward to offering the same services to the new healthcare provider.”