NHS Midlands and Lancashire (ML) has established a clear social value strategy centred around three pillars.

People

Create and sustain job opportunities in local communities across a wide geography and at all levels of the workforce from graduate trainee and apprenticeships to senior professionals. Our inclusive recruitment approach ensures fairness, transparency and inclusivity in all our appointments. 

Coordinate an approach for NHS ML to lead the way on population health management across the integrated care system (ICS) network.  

Invest in patient care with the patient at the centre of all of our services and re-invest with ICSs through the application of our investment fund to deliver system-wide patient centred solutions. 

Invest in our staff and recognise them as our greatest asset through our workforce plan, our organisation development activity, our workforce engagement and support and Equality and Diversity Group. 

Ensure local social value is added in all of our contracts and projects and create awareness of local, lesser known and underfunded charitable organisations, encouraging staff and organisational contribution to charitable works. Actively look for opportunities for coordination and benefit to patients and public. 

Define clear social value goals for all staff volunteering and encourage staff to volunteer more, adding social and economic value back to the community.

Planet 

NHS ML Green Plan is a plan that will align itself with the NHS Long Term Plan. As part of the NHS, NHS ML will play its part in reducing the environmental impact and carbon footprint of its operation. With 10 plan initiatives including: 

• Reducing carbon emissions, achieving our target reduction of 80% by 2028 – 2032, decreasing our carbon footprint by 15% year on year
• Decreasing pollution and reducing waste to protect the environment 
• Improving health and wellbeing, supporting opportunities, investing in green site enhancement and green spaces, creating and maintaining an environment for a highly motivated workforce
• Increasing financial efficiency by reducing fuel and water consumption, reducing waste and delivering a sustainable financial position 
• Enhancing reputation, support and encourage environmental groups creating a culture that enables compassion and inclusivity to thrive and grow. 

Prosperity

NHS ML Business Plan and Strategy provide the direction for our sustainable delivery of service -continuous improvement, cost efficiency and ability to adapt and innovate to provide the best possible solutions. The levelling up model is important to NHS ML as it reduces regional disparities and promotes equality across different areas, because growth is inclusive, benefits all communities and addresses inequalities.

Our expert procurement team establish, manage and maintain contracts and agreements that facilitate social value objectives through the supply of goods and services. 

We support small and medium enterprise organisations to develop their ability to achieve social value supply as an inclusive part of health and care delivery. 

We ensure all of our providers, supply chain partners and charitable partners align with our social values and have the opportunity to adopt positive improvements in supply chain arrangements.