31 March 2011
Health secretary Andrew Lansley has announced £10m funding so that NHS and care staff can set up independent organisations to run the services they deliver.
An extract from the press release issued yesterday by the Department of Health says:
“NHS staff and patients will get more control of their services thanks to a package of measures announced by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley at the social enterprise conference, VOICE 11 in London today.
“Measures include:
- The Right to Provide scheme which will enable all staff working anywhere in NHS and care services where it is clinically appropriate to set up as independent organisations to run the services they deliver.
- To give staff the financial support necessary to do this at least £10 million additional funding is being given to the Social Enterprise Investment Fund. The Fund has already helped support over 400 social enterprises to establish themselves and compete to provide services.
“These measures are not designed to make it easier for private providers to enter the NHS – some of the most successful examples of this approach have come from within the NHS.
“The Department will issue its response to the consultation, Liberating the NHS: Greater choice and control, and guidance on implementing Any Qualified Provider, shortly.”
Note: “Under the Right to Request scheme community services were able to apply to become social enterprise. Right to Provide extends this to all NHS and care services where it is clinically appropriate. An example of where this would not be appropriate is A and E.”
