Health Service Provision through Social Enterprise

Abstract

This paper discusses the role of social enterprise (SE) – the use of business practice to achieve a social goal – in UK health services delivery. Such SE activity has increased in recent years along with the rise in public sector commissioning of health and care services. SE has been identified as an organizational model with the potential to deliver socially and economically sustainable health and social care services. This paper presents evidence from workshops held with SE practitioners and public sector procurement professionals, during which they discussed the current and potential role of SE in health services delivery. The paper reflects on the opportunities for, but also the potential pitfalls of, greater SE involvement in the health and social care sector from the point of view of both SE practitioners and public sector procurement professionals. It demonstrates that SE-type businesses are viewed by both SE practitioners and public sector professionals as suited to working in certain areas of health and social care provision, but as falling short of what is needed in others, particularly in terms of capacity and expertise.