About LIFT
NHS LIFT (Local Improvement Finance Trust) aims to develop a new market for investment in primary care and community-based facilities and services.
Of all patient contact with the NHS, the overwhelming majority - about 90% - occur in general practice. A survey of primary care in inner cities revealed that many of the deprived urban areas, where health need is greatest, suffer from a disproportionately high number of sub-standard premises.
The condition and functionality of the existing primary care estate is variable with current facilities not always meeting patients’ expectations, with quality and access often being below an acceptable standard. Consequently, service development is sometimes severely hampered by the limitations of the premises.
NHS LIFT is a central Government initiative to revitalise primary care premises, focused primarily on 42 geographic areas where traditional mechanisms for funding GP premises have proved unsuccessful. It builds and refurbishes primary care premises, which it owns and rents on a lease basis.
NHS LIFT is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) set up as a limited liability company with the Department of Health (through its subsidiary Partnerships for Health), the local NHS and the private sector as shareholders.
How does LIFT work?
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 has committed to sustained real terms increases in NHS funding - this additional funding must deliver changes in the way services are provided.
The NHS LIFT approach involves the local health community in developing a Strategic Service Development Plan, incorporating its local primary care service needs and relationships with, for example, intermediate and acute care and local authority services.
The private sector partner was selected through a competitive procurement process, and then a Joint Venture established between:
- The local health bodies (and in some cases, the local authority)
- Partnerships for Health
- The private sector partner
The local joint venture - the local LIFT company - has a long term strategic partnering agreement to deliver investment and services in local care facilities.
The NHS LIFT approach provides a number of benefits. It will:
- Offer GPs flexible lease arrangements.
- Deliver a significant number of premises in a short time.
- Facilitate the integration of services, not only in terms of health, but also community and social services.
- Establish a long term sustainable relationship focused on delivering primary care investment and services; it involves the private sector where they can add most.
- Most importantly, it will provide investment in modern integrated primary care services.
