NHS staff put ‘in the driving seat’ in 15 new social enterprises

A London GP practice, mental health services in Salford and community services in Bristol are just some of the new social enterprises being set up under the Department of Health’s right to request initiative.

The second wave of right to request health providers, covering 15 providers, was announced yesterday by care services minister Paul Burstow.

The right to request gives frontline staff the right ask their local provider, such as a primary care trust, to set up a social enterprise to provide services.

The first 20 social enterprises, announced last November, received £30,000 from DH, but that cash is not available for this next wave of organisations.

The right to request initiative, along with the Department of Health’s £100m Social Enterprise Investment Fund (SEIF), which is currently under review, were set up by the former Labour government.

A DH spokesperson said that the fund had not been suspended and that 'SEIF loans and grants for 2010/11 are currently being finalised and will be confirmed in due course'. Applications are being accepted up until November this year, when another wave of right to request organisations is due to be announced.

The 15 newly announced right to request organisations span two thirds of the Strategic Health Authorities, a large number of which are soon to be scrapped by the coalition government. The full list of providers and the services being transferred are listed below.

Burstow said social businesses like The Eden Project and the Big Issue showed what could be achieved through social enterprises.

‘Instead of reaping rewards for shareholders they plough resources back into the community,’ he said.

‘NHS staff have the local know-how on how resources can best be used and I want to put them in the driving seat - and right to request combines NHS values with business principles in an effective way.’

He added that the first wave of 20 right to request organisations, announced on Social Enterprise Day in November 2009, were ‘making a real difference’.

‘We want to empower millions of public sector workers to become their own boss and help them to deliver better services. There is still an opportunity for frontline PCT workers to be part of the next wave of the scheme in the autumn,’ Burstow said.

Social Enterprise Coalition CEO Peter Holbrook added: ‘ The right to request has been a crucial initiative to support the development of social enterprises in health and social care where there is a demand and a need for something different, and encourages new ways of delivering a better, more personalised service for the public that gives greater value for money.’

Despite right to request and the SEIF being regarded as a success, some health authorities trying to transfer services into a social enterprise model are still struggling. Last month, Shropshire PCT became the latest victim when its 1,200 staff voted against the social enterprise model. Services will now remain in NHS control.

The 15 right to request providers are:

• Northamptonshire - Wellbeing services with a general remit of working with people experiencing mental distress. Also psychological therapy, and phycho-education course.
• Brent PCT - GP practice
• Ealing PCT - The Mental health and Well-being Service provides primary care mental health services for Ealing with over 100 staff. It now includes the Smoking Cessation Service and runs the leading Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) provision in the country.
• Knowsley PCT - Specialists children's agency, Partnership, which works across the health service with governmemnt, local authorities, consultants and third sector organisations.
• Salford PCT - The current service is a nationally recognised IAPT service for people with common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.
• Bristol PCT (Bristol Community Health) - Whole provider arm, offering full range of community services.
• Devon - A wide range of adult and paediatric audiology services.
• Somerset - integrated community health services across the county of Somerset and beyond.
• Swindon - Service provision includes diagnostic, intervention, health promotion and prevention services, especially support and care for long-term conditions, rehabilitation, support of older people with complex health and social care needs and complex care at home when people are ill or reaching the end of their lives.
• Birmingham East and North PCT - Community end of life care, including hospice at home and Macmillan services.
• NHS Bradford & Airedale - Community end of life care, including hospice at home and Macmillan services
• Leeds - Adult services
• North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus (NEL CTP) - Wide range of services including end of life care, specialist services and rapid response team.
• North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus (NEL CTP) - Learning disability services including the community learning disability team, intensive support team, day opportunities and supported housing, adult social care services, supported employment, day services for older people and those with a physical disability.
• Rotherham - Primary care general medical services for asylum seekers and socially excluded vulnerable groups and individuals within the Rotherham area.