Most members of the public would support the NHS commissioning more charity and social enterprise suppliers, according to a new poll.
Of the 2,083 people polled by Yonder Consulting on behalf of Skills for Health, 83% said that organisations which prioritise social purpose over profit should be the NHS’s primary partners when it comes to the supply of goods and services.
Furthermore, 63% agreed with the suggestion that the NHS should take active steps to work with a greater proportion of suppliers from the third sector.
Two-thirds of those polled agreed that NHS supply chains and commissioning should prioritise suppliers who closely embody the NHS’s founding principles.
According to research published last year by Oxford Academic, NHS procurement from sector organisations stands at around 1% of total spend.
Moreover, the Health Service Journal reported in January this year that nearly half of all integrated care boards were due to cut their real terms spending with sector suppliers.
However, in February, the government signalling its intention to “maximise” the role of not-for-profit suppliers across government and the NHS in its national public procurement policy statement.
Barriers to winning contracts
Commenting on the research, NCVO chief executive Sarah Elliott said: “Charities and voluntary organisations play a vital role in our health system.
“They are rooted in communities, trusted by the people they support, and bring specialist knowledge shaped by lived experience. From mental health to end-of-life care, they often reach people others can’t.
“This polling shows the public recognises their value. But too often, commissioning creates unnecessary barriers for charities – especially smaller ones – resulting in exclusion from delivery or unsustainable funding arrangements.
“If we want more person-centred care, we need a commissioning environment that provides greater recognition of the value that charities bring as a strategic partner in service design and delivery.”
John Mohan, who co-authored last year’s research published by Oxford Academic, said: “No-one should be surprised that the majority of the public are in favour of third sector organisations over commercial ones, and this survey is another indication of strong public support for the NHS.
“However, the survey doesn’t provide any strong indication that the public think that third sector organisations should be preferred to the NHS trusts, which continue to deliver the bulk of NHS services.
He added: “The low proportion of NHS service spending that goes to third sector organisations is often explained in terms of barriers that particularly affect the ability of these organisations to win contracts.
“But the apparently limited success of policies aimed at increasing third-sector provision of services might also suggest that the distinctive benefits these organisations offer could be articulated more effectively to those commissioning public services.”
Jon Czul managing director of Skills for Health, said it was encouraging to see that the public seems to recognise the contribution voluntary organisations make to health services.
“The delivery of integrated people-centred care requires a partnership approach that utilises the expertise and resources of public, private and third sectors, as well as working closely with stakeholders whose values reflect those of the public and the NHS,” he said.
“It follows that there is definite scope for third sector organisations to play an expanded role in supporting UK healthcare provision into the future.”
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