UHUK Urges ICBs to Reconsider Cuts to VCSE Sector Funding Amidst Rising Demand for Community-Based Care

Urgent Health UK (UHUK), the representative body for social enterprise providers of urgent and integrated care covering two-thirds of the UK population, is calling on Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to recognise the exceptional value provided by the VCSE sector to enable and support the core NHS aims of serving the health and wellbeing of people in the community. Without VCSE support, more care will be needed from more expensive NHS providers, significantly negating any potential savings and adding to system pressures.

New analysis from HSJ reveals that nearly half of all ICBs plan to reduce their VCSE spend in this financial year, despite national commitments to shift care into communities and focus on prevention. Some areas face reductions of up to 17%, placing essential primary and community healthcare services at risk.

Nigel Gazzard, Chair of UHUK, said: "Voluntary, Community and Social enterprise healthcare providers deliver incredible value-for-money. They provide high-quality, patient-centred care, while often operating at 50% lower cost than private and trust providers. For example, taking just one of our members, a £100,000 investment in them would provide for the delivery of 1250 appointments compared to 600 through local hospital-based services – twice as many! This value is being recognised in some parts of the country with funding transfers to UHUK social enterprise members from larger organisations."

UHUK members provide crucial services, including handling over 1M out-of-hours and NHS111 calls every month, and delivering over 14M patient consultations every year. Working with partners, both in the community and within the NHS, they provide front line services every day, to keep people well, independent and at home, helping to reduce visits to A&E departments, ambulance call outs and GP appointments, freeing up those critical resources for people who really need them.

Steve Rubery, CEO of the Partnership of East London Co-operatives and member of UHUK, added: "If VCSE providers are unable to continue delivering services due to funding constraints, the statutory healthcare sector will face significant cost increases, with acute trusts unable to absorb the demand. The financial and quality arguments for sustaining investment in the social enterprise sector are strong."

UHUK is urging policymakers and ICBs to:

• Recognise the financial and social value of its social enterprise healthcare providers.
⁠• Maintain or increase funding to support preventive, community-based care.
⁠• Engage in long-term partnerships with social enterprise organisations to ensure service continuity.

Nigel Gazzard concluded: “Investing in our members and the wider VCSE sector isn’t just good healthcare policy – it’s good economics. UHUK Members deliver outstanding care at exceptional value, designed around patient’s needs. Patients consistently praise the personalised and accessible care they receive from our members. The case for sustained funding has never been clearer.”

Patient voices matter:

When it comes to quality, don't just take our word for it. Here's a tiny snapshot of just some of the feedback our members routinely receive:

Very satisfied - “Seen so quickly and resolved my health issue before spiralling into something major.”

Very satisfied – “I was spoken to respectfully and professionally. My health concerns were addressed quickly and effectively, and I was given the care I required.”

Very satisfied – “Doctor very professional and gave clear instructions. Explained after hearing symptoms, what treatment would be advisable, how to proceed if the issue continued. Prescribed the relevant drug after reviewing health records.”

Very satisfied - “Extremely impressed to receive an appointment so soon after we called. Very helpful doctor.”

Very satisfied – “The doctor I had on Saturday was very lovely and reassuring and professional.”