We’ve reponded to the publication today of the Times Health Commission’s final report.

David Hare, chief executive, IHPN said: “We welcome the bold ideas and pragmatic solutions outlined in today’s Times Health Commission final report. It’s an important contribution to the vital discussion we need to have about how we develop and modernise our healthcare system.

“We were pleased to contribute to the commission and it’s encouraging to see our evidence cited in the report. We welcome the emphasis throughout on the need to build constructive partnerships between the private and public sectors in the interests of improving patients’ care and helping people live longer, healthier lives, which is what we all want to see.

“It’s also very positive that the good practice and expertise of our members has also been referenced – for example, the fact that independent sector providers can get through a third more diagnostic patients due to the efficient and productive way that services are delivered, or the way that surgical hubs could lead to more patients being treated more quickly, by deploying approaches already used in the independent sector.

“It is also good to see that, on workforce – one of the biggest challenges we collectively face – that the commission noted the willingness of the sector to engage and support with training the next generation of clinicians, which is a key priority.   

“What the report highlights is the value and power of working collaboratively, utilising the expertise, capability and capacity of the private sector, working alongside the NHS – whether that’s in diagnostics, surgery, research, data management, pharmaceuticals or elsewhere.”