It is widely accepted that partnerships between the NHS and industry could offer advantages for patient outcomes.^1,2 Indeed, the recent UK Government Life Sciences Vision noted that patients and the NHS can derive a real benefit from such a partnership.³

The NHS England 2022/23 priorities and operational planning guidance states that accelerating partnership working through integrated care systems will make the most effective use of resources available across acute, community, primary and social care settings.¹ The benefits of strong partnership working were never observed more closely than in the COVID-19 pandemic when scientists, government and healthcare leaders worked together to advance innovation and transform science, with remarkable results.⁴ With so much endorsement for partnership working, why is it not more widely accepted and actioned? There has been much focus recently on the best ways of partnership working together.^2,5,6 Indeed, there now seems to be a new hunger for cross-sector collaboration between industry and the NHS to support integrated care systems and reduce health inequalities.²

The benefits of strong partnership working were never observed
more closely than in the COVID-19 pandemic.⁴  

The NHS Confederation recently summarised how strong partnership working can help leaders embed collaborative ways of working throughout integrated care partnerships, and serve as a useful guide for developing an integrated care strategy. They include bringing partners together early to identify mutual values, behaviours, benefits and goals, and identifying how each partner group will contribute to it. Also, having clear and inclusive champions to build enthusiasm, achieve buy-in and communicate the vision, and keep partners aligned about collaborative working to improve health and care services, improve population health outcomes and address health inequalities.⁵ 

The NHS Confederation has summarised how strong
partnership working can be achieved.⁵ 

Other key advice for strong industry/NHS partnerships suggests that new initiatives be “substitutive” (i.e., replacing something) as opposed to “additive” (something added on top).⁶ The ABPI has shared numerous examples from around the country of effective collaborative work, and has noted that the ambition must be to use these collaborations to encourage similar initiatives and stimulate innovation elsewhere.²