Government boosting use of independent sector capacity to cut NHS waiting lists

13 new Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) including:- 8 independently run CDCs; are being launched across the country as part of Government plans to use the independent sector to cut NHS waiting lists, Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay will announced.

5 of these independent sector led CDCs will operate in the South West of England, with permanent sites fully opening in 2024 in:- Redruth, Bristol, Torbay, Yeovil and Weston Super Mare. Additional diagnostic testing capacity is already being rolled out in the Region via the use of mobile diagnostic facilities, to provide additional diagnostic services while these sites are constructed.

3 others will open in Southend, Northampton and South Birmingham; with the former commencing activity from November and the latter from December. These independently run CDCs will help to make it easier for patients to receive checks closer to home and will remain free at the point of use for patients. This adds to the 4 CDCs run by the independent sector that are already operational in:- Brighton, North Solihull, Oxford, and Salford.

5 more NHS run Centres will also open across the country, delivering on our ambition to open up to 160 across the country by 2025, backed by £2.3 billion. These will be in Hornchurch, Skegness, Lincoln, Nottingham and Stoke-on-Trent.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:- "We must use every available resource to deliver life-saving checks to ease pressure on the NHS. By making use of the available capacity in the independent sector, and enabling patients to access this diagnostic capacity free at the point of need, we can offer patients a wider choice of venues to receive treatment and in doing so diagnose major illnesses quicker and start treatments sooner. The Elective Recovery Taskforce has identified additional diagnostic capacity that is available in the independent sector which we will now use more widely to enable patients to access the care they need quicker."

As well as being more convenient for patients, CDCs drive efficiency across the NHS by shielding elective diagnostic services from wider Hospital pressures.

The Government has also set out a range of new measures to unlock spare capacity within the independent healthcare sector. This comes following actions from the Elective Recovery Taskforce which was established last December. Chaired by Health Minister Will Quince and made up of academics and experts from the NHS and independent sector, the taskforce looked for ways to go further to bust the Covid backlogs and reduce waiting times for patients.

The measures include a commitment to using data on independent sector providers to identify where they have capacity to take on more NHS patients to help clear the backlog and increasing the use of the independent sector in training junior NHS staff.

These 13 new CDCs will provide capacity for more than 742,000 extra tests a year once all are fully operational, bolstering access to care.

Independent sector led Centres will function like NHS run CDCs, but staff will be employed by the independent sector, which also owns the buildings. The South West network will be run by InHealth, a specialist provider of diagnostic tests which has worked with Hospitals and commissioners across the health service for more than 30 years. By utilising independent sector staff, the NHS will be able to keep pace with rising demand in the Region and deliver a high number of tests for patients.

There are currently 114 CDCs open across the country, which have delivered an additional 4.6 million tests, checks and scans since July 2021. Alongside this, significant progress has already been made to cut waiting lists, with 18-month and two-year waits virtually eliminated.

Health Minister and Elective Recovery Taskforce Chair Will Quince said:- "We have already made significant progress in bringing down waiting lists, with 18 month waits virtually eliminated. I chaired the Elective Recovery Taskforce to turbocharge these efforts and help patients get the treatment they need. These actions will bolster capacity across the country and give patients more choice over where and when they are treated."

The taskforce aims to form strong local relationships between NHS organisations and the independent sector. This will help to support improved training opportunities for junior Doctors through 1st hand experience of procedures. This follows the NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan which will deliver the biggest training expansion in NHS history and recruit and retain hundreds of thousands more staff over the next 15 years.

The department has also published its response to a consultation on a new procurement system known as the Provider Selection Regime, which will give commissioners of healthcare services more flexibility when selecting NHS and independent sector healthcare providers. This is intended to remove unnecessary levels of competitive tendering and barriers to integrating care, which will help to promote collaboration across the NHS and wider healthcare system.

NHS England will evaluate the independent sector's impact on healthcare capacity and has already begun publishing regular monthly data on independent sector use, showing its contribution to tackling the backlog.

NHS England National Clinical Director for Elective Care, Stella Vig, said:- "Hardworking staff across the NHS have made significant progress towards recovering elective care, and it is testament to their efforts that widespread innovative measures are already being rolled out to transform our services and bring down the longest waits for patients. Alongside this, we have increased our use of the independent sector by more than a third since April 2021; carrying out 90,000 appointments and procedures and more than 10,000 diagnostic tests every week; and independent providers will continue to play a key role as we work towards the next milestone in our recovery plan, as well as the additional 1 stop shops announced today as part of NHS England's rollout of community diagnostic Centres. As this report details, we have already made significant progress in this area, including operating mutual aid systems across both the NHS and independent sector, and by expanding My Planned Care to make it easier for patients to choose where they receive care."

Rachel Power, Chief Executive of the Patients Association, said:- "We are advocates of patients having choice and welcome this announcement. In particular, the news that GPs will tell patients, at the point of referral, of options for treatment other than the local Hospital or clinic. Patients in England already have a right to choose where they are treated but not all patients are aware of this right or exercise it. Our expectation is that once GPs offer patients a choice of where to receive treatment, more and more patients will choose to travel further to receive treatment if that means shorter waits."

Justin Ash, CEO of Spire Healthcare said:- "The best way to cut waiting times for patients is for the independent sector to be fully integrated as part of the solution, and to offer patient choice. We welcome the Elective Recovery Taskforce's recognition of this and are pleased that it has recommended some bold and far-reaching steps to encourage collaboration, promote patient choice and engage the independent sector to help deliver the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. The Taskforce's work will genuinely benefit patients, who'll be able to choose where they can receive treatment most quickly, regardless of whether that's at an NHS or an independent sector Hospital."

David Hare, Chief Executive of IHPN, who sat on the Taskforce, said:- "The publication of this report is good news for patients. This is a real, significant step forward to unlocking more of the capital, capacity and capability of the independent sector. Today's report builds on the Prime Minister's recent welcome announcements about how the Government is committed to providing patients with better choice over who provides their NHS care, as well as positive changes in how services are procured, which can help add overall capacity and speed up waiting times for NHS patients. The report's commitment to open further independent sector led Community Diagnostic Centres is also good news for patients, deploying some of the private capital that is available to build new facilities and to help ensure that more NHS patients can get the tests and scans that they need."

This builds on previous work to give patients greater choice. At the point of referral (for example, at a GP appointment), patients will be actively offered a list of providers which are clinically appropriate for their condition. This will be a minimum of 5 providers where possible. And by October 2023, all patients waiting over 40 weeks who have not had a 1st outpatient appointment booked or where a decision to treat has been made but the patient does not have a date for their treatment will be able to initiate a request to transfer to another provider and receive treatment more quickly.

Last month, the Health and Social Care Secretary also convened Ministers, clinical leaders and health experts for the NHS Recovery Summit to collaborate and drive forward ideas to help cut waiting lists and improve care for patients.

NEW Youth Centres will be built and old ones refurbished as part of Government plans to give young people better access to positive out of School activities as the next phase of the Youth Investment Fund is confirmed.

This follows Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer setting out her vision for the youth sector, that every young person should have:- "someone to talk to, something to do, somewhere to go."

The plans will see 44 Youth Centres share a slice of £70 million Government funding through its Youth Investment Fund.

The funding will help as many as:- 12,000 extra:- 11 to 18 year olds, across the country have access to:- regular, positive activities every year, on top of the thousands of young people who already enjoy these opportunities.

In another boost for young people, The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK, has confirmed it will match fund the initial Government commitment of £11 million for the Million Hours Fund, bringing the total to £22 million.

Announced in March as part of the Prime Minister's Anti Social Behaviour Action Plan, the move will mean hundreds of organisations in areas of high anti-social behaviour incidents can stay open for an extra night a week. The support is now guaranteed until March 2026.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:- "I want every young person to have the opportunity to access the kinds of life-changing activities which expand their horizons and allow them to develop vital life skills. These next 44 Youth Centres will give 12,000 more young people the opportunity to access these activities, building on the 1st tranche of Youth Investment Fund investment that is seeing new projects like the Alt Valley Communiversity opening in Liverpool and support for Scouts and Girlguiding groups to reduce their waiting lists. We will make sure every young person has someone to talk to, something to do, somewhere to go."

The plans for Youth Centres announced today will mean young people can take part in activities such as dance, theatre, sport, music and art sessions as well as vital skills and employment training.

The announcement comes after the Culture Secretary laid out her commitment to boost youth services in a speech at the Onward think tank last month.

The investment will target youth services in some country's most underserved areas where need is high and existing provision is low. The new funding means more than £160 million will have been committed to 87 Centres in England since 2021. As many as 300 projects are expected to be built or renovated over the next 2 years.

Earlier this week the Culture Secretary cut the ribbon to reopen The Alt Valley Communiversity in Liverpool, the 1st major project to be completed through the Youth Investment Fund. The site received £343,000 to build a new industrial kitchen and an outdoor performance space. It will create more opportunities for skills development and expand its reach to an additional 100 participants a week.

Nick Temple, CEO of Social Investment Business said:- "The Youth Investment Fund is all about prioritising the needs of young people in England and creating a more equal society for future generations. It is wonderful to see how the fund is already transforming young people's opportunities to experience the joy of local youth services designed for, and by, young people. Today's announcement means another 12,000 young people can access quality, sustainable and accessible youth clubs. It is so exciting to see the 1st Youth Investment Fund projects open their doors to young people, giving them every opportunity to make friends, have fun, discover their passions, and thrive. And it is just the start: thousands more young people will benefit from new or expanded local youth services, supporting their wellbeing and helping them gain vital skills for life and work."

David Knott, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Community Fund, said:- "We're delighted to be match funding the Million Hours Fund to bring much needed additional youth provision and activities to young people across England. Supporting children and young people to thrive is a strategic priority for us as the UK's largest community funder. We want to thank National Lottery players for making this important investment into improving young people's prospects and lives possible."

Recipients of the Youth Investment Fund are across England, including:-

• The 105th Sheffield (High Green) Scout Group has been awarded over £1.8 million, allowing them to demolish and rebuild their Scout Group building. The new site will be bigger and more sustainable, including a new kitchen and outdoor space allowing the Scouts to complete more badge work and learn new skills. This will allow the group to expand its reach from 69 to a potential 267, 11 to 18 year olds.
   

• Funding of nearly £974,000 will transform Burnley Boys and Girls Club for generations to come, with the grant allowing them to reach an additional 225 young people a week. The grant will pay for a new roof for their dilapidated sports hall, new outdoor facilities, as well the construction of a new two-storey extension that will house a gymnasium, a chill out room and 3 counselling rooms. 
   

• A grant of over £420,000 will allow The Chichester Shed to renovate its site into a vibrant, safe space, with constant open access youth offer in the evenings and throughout the holidays. An additional 121 young people will be supported, with a custom built space including everything from a community garden to graffiti wall. During the day the site will be used to support young people not engaged in education, employment, or training, supporting their wellbeing, and helping them to gain vital life skills.

This package of measures comes as part of the Government's 'National Youth Guarantee' that, by 2025, every young person in England will have access to regular clubs and activities, adventures away from home, and volunteering opportunities. It is backed by more than £500 million.

Since the launch of the National Youth Guarantee, more than 2,100 additional places have also been created in uniformed youth groups such as Scouts and Girlguiding. As part of the over £16 million of funding allocated for uniformed groups, we will continue to recruit more adult volunteers, to help reduce waiting lists alongside creating additional places for young people.

The Duke of Edinburgh's award has also been supported, with more than 15,500 participant places being created. It comes after the Government announced it would offer the award to every mainstream secondary state School in England for the 1st time - supporting young people who may face barriers to taking part, such as not being able to afford kit for outdoor expeditions.