NHS Direct

Joining forces with top health services

17 Jun 2008

In a contract set to last until 2012, NHS Direct has teamed up with two of the top health commissioning and support services: Pfizer Health Solutions and Humana Europe.

This move will reinforce NHS Direct’s position as England’s principal provider of telephone-centred care management services. It comes as a result of a procurement process by the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU).

NHS Direct’s Commercial Director, Ronnette Lucraft, said:

“Pfizer Health Solutions and Humana have complementary and world class skills which will enable us to forge a powerful partnership.

“This will allow us to reach out into the community, helping and encouraging people to follow personalised health plans, learn how to manage their own condition and ultimately enjoy a better, healthier quality of life. Moving care closer to home and encouraging self care are absolutely central imperatives for the 21st century NHS.”

Building on a strong partnership

Since 2006, NHS Direct and Pfizer Health Solutions have worked alongside Birmingham East and North Primary Care Trust in order to supply the first large scale telephone-based care supervision scheme. This is called Birmingham OwnHealth®.

As part of this award-winning service, highly-skilled care managers make regular telephone calls to people with diabetes, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other long term conditions.

The introduction of Birmingham OwnHealth® has greatly improved not only the way in which individuals manage their own health, but also clinical measures. As a result, general healthcare services are also being used more appropriately.

The Head of Pfizer Health Solutions in the UK, John Procter, said:

“Today’s announcement takes the NHS Direct and Pfizer Health Solutions partnership to a whole new level. Working together, we can build upon our joint expertise in successfully delivering Birmingham OwnHealth®, to benefit many more people with long term conditions, as well as the wider NHS.

“The complementary skills and experience of all three organisations create a partnership ready to deliver leading-edge NHS services and care.”

A new collaboration

New to partnership with NHS Direct, Humana Europe expanded into the UK with the aim of providing commissioning support services throughout the NHS.

With their expert skills in management, tools and creative solutions, Humana allows patients to take more control of their health through specialised healthcare programmes.

Dr Jonathan Lord, Humana Chief Executive, praised the partnership, saying:

“This is a unique opportunity to bring together the different expertise we have as organisations to configure a service that can meet the different needs of patients across the NHS in a personalised way and can help them achieve happier, longer and healthier lives.”

Humana has worked on health and wellness programmes elsewhere in NHS Direct. Such as patient and public engagement, data and knowledge management, and contracting and providing performance management.

Humana intend to assist the NHS in improving clinical conclusions, enhancing the experiences of patients, and reducing costs. They will achieve this by focusing on improving the health outcomes of individuals and local populations.

NHS Direct, Pfizer Health Solutions and Humana Europe will confirm the finer points of their collaboration over the next few months, before delivering new services to the NHS later in 2008.