Written By: Nick MacDonald on 20th February 2025
All Professions NewsThe Government’s latest plans to reduce NHS waiting lists have reaffirmed the crucial role of independent providers in supporting the health service. A new Partnership Agreement between the NHS and the independent sector has been announced, strengthening collaboration to address elective care backlogs and expand joint working.
As one of the independent providers already delivering vital support to the NHS, Your Medical Services (YMS) fully supports this partnership, it builds on the Labour Government’s commitment to maximising available capacity across the sector, ensuring patients receive timely, high-quality care.
While the agreement primarily focuses on elective care—aligning with the government’s priority of restoring the 18-week waiting time standard—it highlights a broader recognition of independent providers' essential contribution to NHS services. The recent commitment to increasing patient choice, including the ability to select independent sector providers through the NHS App, further reinforces this direction.
At YMS, we are dedicated to working in partnership with NHS Trusts to provide flexible, high-quality insourcing solutions that reduce waiting times and improve patient outcomes. This strengthened collaboration presents new opportunities to enhance the delivery of NHS care, and we look forward to continuing our role in supporting the health service.
Jon Knappett - Managing Director for YMS, said:
“It’s a positive step that the NHS has recognised the valuable role the private sector can play in supporting NHS capacity. Having worked alongside the NHS for over 25 years, I’m passionate about ensuring that our role is focused on sustainable support—helping to alleviate pressure without creating long-term dependencies.
I see our contribution as providing short to medium term capacity, allowing the NHS to recover and strengthen its long-term independence. Insourcing is the most effective way to achieve this, as it maximises existing NHS resources, supports training, and ensures long-term viability. At YMS, we take pride in offering cost-effective solutions that enhance capacity and reduce reliance on external support over time. A great example of this is our investment in clinical equipment to expand capacity, which we donate back to the NHS as part of our commitment to sustainable recovery.
This partnership approach ensures that NHS services remain resilient, independent, and able to meet patient needs without unnecessary external dependence.”
You can access the full announcement here for more details on the Partnership Agreement and how independent providers work with the NHS.
Written By: Aimee Hughes on 18th April 2024
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