As the NHS faces ongoing challenges with growing waiting lists for treatments, a new initiative has been introduced to alleviate the strain on hospitals and improve patient care
With over 7.6 million treatments pending and 6.4 million patients waiting, the pressure on healthcare services has reached a critical point, heightened by the fact that 41% of patients have been waiting longer than 18 weeks for their appointments.
In response to this pressing issue, NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) has launched the Insourcing of Clinical Services framework agreement. This innovative approach aims to provide NHS trusts with additional clinical capacity, allowing them to manage capacity planning internally and ensure patients receive timely care within their own facilities.
Reducing the NHS waiting lists
The framework facilitates a compliant and efficient process for NHS trusts to engage vetted suppliers who can deliver a variety of clinical services directly at the trust’s premises. This includes leveraging existing hospital equipment and facilities that may otherwise be underutilised during off-peak hours, weekends, or in cases where specialist staff are in short supply.
Designed as a short to medium-term solution, insourcing enables third-party providers to deliver clinical diagnostic and treatment services directly within NHS trust settings. This approach not only optimises existing resources but also aims to increase the volume of patients seen within shorter timeframes, helping trusts work towards meeting the NHS target of an 18-week referral to treatment period.
The scope of services covered under the framework is extensive, encompassing various elective specialties such as ENT (ear, nose, and throat), rheumatology, orthopaedics, cardiology, urology, gynaecology, and more.
This comprehensive coverage ensures that a wide range of clinical needs can be addressed efficiently and effectively.
Quicker healthcare and shorter NHS waiting lists
By utilising spare capacity and deploying medical teams strategically, NHS trusts can significantly reduce waiting times and improve overall patient outcomes.
The initiative forms part of NHS SBS’s broader Elective Recovery Combined Framework Agreement Solution, which aims to support trusts in increasing patient throughput and achieving key healthcare objectives. By integrating insourcing into their operational strategies, NHS trusts can mitigate the impact of long waiting lists and optimize the use of their existing resources.
For more information about the Insourcing of Clinical Services framework agreement and how it can benefit NHS trusts, interested parties are encouraged to contact the NHS SBS team at sbs.hello@nhs.net. This initiative marks a proactive step towards enhancing healthcare delivery and addressing the challenges posed by growing patient demand and limited capacity in the NHS.
