New year, new collaborations: looking ahead for the NHS and Independent Healthcare Sector

Nearly a year has passed since the Government announced that the partnership between the NHS and independent sector was going to be a core part of its strategy to tackle elective backlogs and waiting lists. We were told on 6 January that “millions of patients [would] be able to access more appointments closer to home and get the treatment they need faster…” through the approach set out in the NHS England Elective Reform Plan. A year on, how are the warm words of 6 January translating into practice?

The Political Backdrop 

‘Public-private’ working in healthcare is, of course, not new. The 6 January announcement began by referencing the Concordat with the Private and Voluntary Health Care Provider Sector signed by the NHS and independent sector a quarter of a century ago. However, the public response to private sector involvement in the delivery of NHS care is often cynical at best, albeit the volume of the opposition to it has been notably quieter recently. Nevertheless, the involvement of ‘non-NHS’ organisations in NHS care is a well-trodden path and one which the Government seems to embrace. Perhaps the message being delivered by an optimistic Labour Government rather than the previous, embattled Conservative one has sweetened this particular pill.

This political agenda should also be viewed against the broader shifts in the attitude to using independent providers when it comes to accessing health services.  Younger people are far more open to using the provider that best suits them – regardless of how it is funded. There is also a growing expectation on employers that they should take more responsibility for the health and wellbeing of their workforces as was writ large in Sir Charlie Mayfield’s recent “Keep Britain Working Review”. 

The Changing Behaviour of Patients

All of this can be seen in the growing numbers of patients accessing the treatment they need through private medical insurance or self-pay routes and focussing on their wellbeing to prevent health problems in the first place. If patients have the means, they are largely willing to make their own contribution to solving the NHS backlog problem by going elsewhere. 

But how is this playing out in terms of independent providers providing NHS services? Well, it’s still playing out. Various consultations are in train (e.g. on the NHS Payment Scheme and on Independent Sector Collaboration in Diagnostic Service Transformation) and the implementation of Activity Management Plans (AMPs) by ICBs in some areas is hampering or even halting the provision of services by independent providers altogether. Things seem to be going in the wrong direction. The Government’s ambition to increase patient choice through various measures in the 10 Year Health Plan does not look like it will be fulfilled any time soon, according to recent reports of poor levels of patient choice being offered across the board.

Reasons for Optimism 

But the picture is not all doom and gloom. While all of this is being worked through, there is still plenty of opportunity for collaboration between NHS organisations and independent sector providers in the day to day business of treating NHS patients. What the 10 Year Health Plan lacks in detail, it makes up for in clarity of vision and joint working between NHS and independent sector colleagues will be vital to achieving the 3 key shifts of ‘Hospital to Community’, ‘Analogue to Digital’ and ‘Sickness to Prevention’. Some of these opportunities will arise through enabling NHS providers to provide NHS services (e.g. through the provision of digital solutions and support such as electronic patient record systems, and apps that support the patient journey) and others will arise through the independent sector providing services that wrap around and interface with NHS provision (e.g. care and supported living). The NHS must continue to be bold and innovative when it comes to income-generating activities – and undertaking this journey with the right independent sector partner can mean the difference between success and failure.

So, the ghosts of Christmas past show us that the relationship between the NHS and independent providers is critical and intertwined, if not vulnerable to the prevailing political headwinds. The ghost of Christmas present is one of greater demand than ever for NHS services, users of NHS services being much more open to a variety of providers but also a lack of clarity as to how these providers can actually deliver the NHS services needed. What will the ghost of Christmas future bring? Well, opportunities for the NHS and independent sector alike to support and deliver NHS services and improve the lives of millions of NHS patients - but perhaps not quite the way Sir Keir Starmer had in mind back on 6 January. 

Contact Letitia Winterflood-Blood, or get in touch with our NHS and Independent Health teams to discuss your needs and how we can help you.

For insights and updates from across the health and care sector, follow our Health & Care showcase page today.