Social enterprise event promises to demystify the Right to Provide

The newly announced Right to Provide (R2P) initiative promises to stimulate a new wave of providers run by front-line staff and capable of delivering innovative, responsive and flexible services.

Many NHS staff may be unaware of the opportunity presented by R2P or simply find the prospect of starting their own business too daunting to contemplate.

At an event in Manchester next month, people thinking about forming staff-led businesses can hear from seasoned social entrepreneurs how to get on the right track and stay there. At the PCC Social Enterprise in Health and Social Care event delegates will also hear first-hand from Bob Ricketts, head of social enterprise at the Department of Health, about the policy aims and practical implications of R2P.

According to government estimates, 25,000 people are working in social businesses providing health and social care services largely as a result of the Right to Request. That initiative stimulated the rapid growth of social enterprise in the community services sector.

R2P extends the opportunity to include employees of acute, primary care and mental health trusts who have the right to make a business case for setting up provider arms in place of current statutory services. R2P obliges boards to consider these requests on their merit and provide support where sound business cases are made.

For staff currently frustrated by slow-moving institutions this means an opportunity to break away from red tape and bureaucratic control.

Social enterprises often provide employment to people who struggle to find work in other kinds of business and often also record higher levels of satisfaction among the users of their services than more conventional organisations.

But although they are characterised by altruism – typically with either a social or environmental goal at heart – social businesses are still businesses and need to be financially viable to fulfil their mission.

Speakers at the event will include leaders of established social businesses, including Fay Selvan, chair of the BigLife Group and first and second wave “right to requesters”.  

There will also be practical workshops where delegates will get expert advice and an opportunity to answer questions on the legal, financial, HR and broader business issues facing social businesses.

The aim of the day is to demystify social enterprise and to give individuals considering setting up provider businesses all the information they need to make an informed decision about next steps.

All delegates will leave with a checklist covering the essential things to consider when setting out.

There are a limited number of free places available to PCC subscribers and discounted places for employees of charities, third sector and public sector organisations.

For details of the event on 12 May, see the http://www.pcc.nhs.uk/events/all/1963