NHS Confederation, ABPI say break down barriers to partnerships and change the lives of millions
Partnerships between the NHS and the pharmaceutical industry can change the lives of millions of people across the country, according to a new joint report from the NHS Confederation and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI).
The new report - ‘Partnering with purpose: How integrated care systems and industry can work better together’ - is published today, alongside a library of more than 100 case studies of successful partnerships. It was compiled following a series of webinars involving 60 NHS leaders representing 13 Integrated Care Systems (ICSs), with 80 senior NHS and industry leaders attending in total.
Persistent practical and cultural barriers must be overcome if NHS-industry partnerships are to deliver their full positive potential, the report states. Practical barriers include structural variations in different ICSs and companies, and an associated lack of clarity on the ‘point of entry’ for both NHS and industry organisations seeking to build effective partnerships, while cultural barriers include a degree of mistrust and anxiety in the NHS around working with industry, which can discourage innovation and new practices.
The benefits of partnerships are significant, including better patient outcomes, reduced operational pressures, and more preventative care, according to the report.
Sarah Walter, director of the ICS Network at the NHS Confederation, said: ““In the NHS, we are experiencing some of the most severe pressures we’ve ever faced in 75 years, and cross-sector partnerships can help in a variety of ways.”
That includes bringing in additional capacity, as well as introducing different skills and areas of expertise. Walter added that there are also “further opportunities to capitalise on industry expertise in helping to solve local challenges alongside the NHS” and that they want to support this.
Brian Duggan, strategic partnerships director at the ABPI, said: ““The ABPI’s case study library published today has more than 100 examples of positive partnerships between the NHS and industry. These projects have made a real difference to patients or helped NHS organisations save time and valuable resources.”
Duggan added that industry wants “to support ICSs, help build capacity across the system, and be equal partners in solving the health challenges [faced] as a nation.”
The report shows there is a real opportunity for ICSs to stimulate new partnerships as a result of their convening power to bring together ‘anchor institutions’, such as NHS organisations, councils, community groups, and industry. Such partnerships can improve local population health, tackle health inequalities, and boost local economies.
The NHS Confederation and ABPI will bring NHS and industry leaders together next year to develop practical guidance for partnerships, looking to optimise pathways of care and improve patient outcomes and NHS efficiency.
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