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A key challenge for primary care is to invest in premises so that they are fit for purpose, meet the requirements for modern integrated primary care and can be delivered efficiently. The Government is committed to sustained real terms increases in NHS funding - this additional funding must deliver changes in the way services are provided.

LIFT starts with a local health economy getting together to develop its Strategic Service Development Plan.  This planning process enables all of the statutory bodies that have a responsibility for improving health in a locality to plan for the health needs of their population.  But they do not just plan in isolation.  They plan together.  The benefit of this is that all parties can help find the best solutions.  Examples of the sorts of local health economy participants working together in LIFT are PCTs working with Acute Trusts, Ambulance Trusts, Local Authorities, Mental Health Trusts etc. to draw up a plan which considers a joint strategy for delivering an improved service for patients.

Having drawn up a plan the local health economy then looks for a partner with whom it will set up a LIFT company.  This company is owned partly by the private sector and partly by the public sector participants.  It is a company of which much is expected.  Not only will it deliver the Strategic Service Development Plan, it will also enter in to a twenty or twenty-five year undertaking to deliver the Partnering Services.  Simply put, it will build, maintain and operate primary care buildings and it will assist the local health economy to develop the best solutions to its service needs.  This may include property development expertise which can be used to assist a PCT with an affordability problem or perhaps might be putting a retail element in a one-stop centre to bring in additional revenue for a PCT.

A private sector partner is identified through a competitive procurement, and then a joint venture is established between:

The local joint venture - the local LIFT company - will have a long term partnering agreement to deliver investment and services in local care facilities.

The NHS LIFT approach provides a number of benefits. It establishes a long term sustainable relationship focused on delivering primary care investment and services; it will involve the private sector where they can add most value. Most importantly, it will provide investment in modern integrated primary care services in areas where patients most need it.

The new LIFT company has a board of directors which reflects the shareholding split within the company.  The local health economy supervises the performance of the LIFT company through a Strategic Partnering Board which also approves new projects from the Strategic Service Development Plan which it reviews on an annual basis.

'We fully support the introduction of 'super surgeries' which we regard as good for patients.
'A one-stop centre for total health care will be more convenient for patients, particularly patients and those with long term medical conditions
'We are extremely pleased that these centres are being set up in some of the most deprived areas in England.'
Michael Summers, Chairman, The Patients Association