Breaking: Serco announces partnership agreement with health group to improve community healthcare service in Suffolk

Bosses at the firm providing community healthcare in Suffolk have today announced an agreement has been signed with another health group to improve the service in the county.

The partnership between Serco and Bromley Healthcare, an employee-owned social enterprise, has come as health bosses in the county ramped up the pressure on the service for failing to meet targets.

Serco has said the partnership agreement will allow the two organisations to “work together in the community healthcare market” and that the work will start immediately.

A spokeswoman said Bromley Healthcare will be acting in an advisory capacity and supporting clinical leaders as work begins to improve the service in Suffolk.

Valerie Michie, managing director of Serco’s healthcare business, said: “I am delighted to be working with Bromley Healthcare as we seek to develop a partnership that offers coordinated care for patients and their families.

“We anticipate financial pressures will lead to increased collaboration and consolidation as NHS trusts look to take on responsibility for patient care inside and outside hospitals.

“Alongside this, commissioners will aim to award contracts that reward providers for services that keep local populations as a whole well and out of hospital.”

Jonathan Lewis, CEO of Bromley Healthcare, said: “The NHS and local authorities need community health providers to change dramatically over the coming years to meet the challenge of looking after an ageing population who principally want to be cared for in their own homes.

“Serco’s scale and knowledge of implementing change, plus Bromley Healthcare’s detailed understanding of community services and our human touch, make us uniquely able to deliver these changes.”