Circle, the employee-owned social enterprise, has been chosen as the preferred partner to run Hinchingbrooke Healthcare NHS Trust in Huntingdonshire. In a historic move, the East of England Strategic Health Authority (SHA) has selected a non-state owned provider to take over the delivery of NHS services at Hinchingbrooke Hospital.
Employing over 1,000 seconded NHS staff and treating more than 130,000 patients each year, Circle’s NHS day-surgery hospitals in Nottingham and Burton delivered over 20% productivity gains in their first year of Circle operation. The organisation also reported improved patient outcomes which were claimed to be four times better than the national benchmark. Dr Stephen Dunn, director of strategy at NHS East of England, said: “Circle’s John Lewis style partnership model and track record of turning around NHS services make them our preferred partner to transform the first NHS Trust to be franchised. We are impressed by the way Circle devolves decision-making to those closest to patients, and empower doctors, nurses and all staff to innovate to deliver better care for their patients.”
