A major new report has called for the immediate integration of independent healthcare providers into the NHS community system to tackle "entrenched" waiting times and years of under-investment.
New data reveals that NHS community waiting lists have swelled by 23% since 2022. With the Government setting a fresh target for 80% of community patients to be treated within 18 weeks, the Independent Healthcare Providers Network warns that public resources alone may not be enough to meet the demand.
The IHPN is urging Integrated Care Boards to fully engage with the independent sector as they develop plans for "Neighbourhood Health Providers." The report argues that at-scale private providers can offer the capacity and innovation required to shift care from hospitals into local communities – a key pillar of the Government's 10-Year Plan for Health.
According to the IHPN, the independent sector offers three unique advantages:
- National Expertise: Some providers cover 10% of the UK population, allowing them to apply "what works" across multiple regions.
- Private Capital: Access to funding for new services that the public sector currently lacks in the present fiscal climate.
- Operational Efficiency: Centralised back-office functions that provide a level of resilience and efficiency smaller local providers cannot match.
Director of Police at IHPN, Danielle Henry, said:
“We cannot fix the NHS by focusing solely on elective care while community services remain in a blind spot – that approach is counter-productive and not in patients’ interests.
“With NHS community services under huge strain and patients waiting far too long for much-needed care and support, significant capacity and resources will need to be brought in to bolster this most pivotal part of the health service.
“Independent healthcare providers are already using their size and reach to deliver precisely the kind of accessible high-quality care to NHS patients that new Neighbourhood Health Services are seeking to achieve.
“If the Government genuinely wants to shift care out of hospitals and into the community, it must turbocharge NHS and independent sector partnership working – helping incentivise at-scale working and drive innovation in every community.”
Beyond simply adding capacity, the IHPN is calling for the development of minimum standards for community services. By focusing on outcome-based contracts, the network believes it can help drive significant improvements in patient recovery and service delivery.
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