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Last modified date:9 February 2007
News and developments in relation to NHS LIFT.
National Audit Office endorses LIFT
All government-backed expenditure programmes are scrutinised by the government's independent auditor, the National Audit Office. They launched a major enquiry into LIFT in 2003. This wide ranging study looked in depth at the first six LIFT schemes to reach financial close; East London and the City, Barnsley, Ashton, Leigh and Wigan, East Lancashire, Barking and Havering and Newcastle and North Tyneside. In addition the report also encompassed the involvement of the Department of Health and joint venture company, Partnerships for Health (PfH).
The National Audit Office Report was published in May 2005. The report is largely positive. Its main findings are:
- NHS LIFT is an effective means of improving primary health and social care
- There is more that can be done to measure performance and ensure accountability
- NHS LIFT is capable of producing value for money
- The local use of enabling funds was not monitored routinely and some schemes did not utilise funds in a timely manner
- The target 12-month timetable for establishing the LIFTCo and agreeing initial developments was too ambitious; the quickest, Ashton, Leigh and Wigan, completed in 13 months.
- The department should develop ways of evaluating the progress and contribution of NHS LIFT to improvements in people's health
Sir John Bourn, head of the National Audit Office, said at the launch of the report ... 'that the Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) initiative, launched in 2001, is an effective means of improving primary health and social care. The LIFT model has a number of strengths: it takes a long-term strategic approach to local health provision which combines the benefits of national support and local control. There is more that can be done to measure performance and ensure accountability but with approximately 50 new buildings expected to open in 2005, the positive impact of the initiative will soon be seen.'
Involvement of Parnerships for Health
Partnerships for Health is jointly owned by the Department of Health and Partnerships UK. Its remit is to establish NHS LIFT (Local Improvement Finance Trust) as a new model for delivery of investment in premises to allow a strategic step change in primary care services. NHS LIFT was launched in 2001. There were forty-two LIFT schemes in the first three waves and a fourth wave was formally announced in June 2004. The Secretary of State for Health announced the successful 4th wave areas in November 2004, ten 4th wave schemes now exist making a total of 52 LIFT schemes across England.
Partnerships for Health's main role is to:
- enable investment in the local health economy, principally local primary health care facilities and services, to contribute to NHS Plan targets;
- support the stakeholders in the local health economy in identifying, and reaching agreement with, a private sector partner; and
- invest, alongside local stakeholders, in the LIFT for the locality, established with the private sector partner to deliver the facilities and services.
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