Provider collaboratives are partnership arrangements involving at least two NHS trusts working at scale across multiple places, with a shared purpose and effective decision-making arrangements, to:
- reduce unwarranted variation and inequality in health outcomes, access to services and experience
- improve resilience by, for example, providing mutual aid
- ensure that specialisation and consolidation occur where this will provide better outcomes and value.
Provider collaboratives work across a range of programmes and represent just one way that providers collaborate to plan, deliver and transform services. Collaboratives may support the work of other collaborations including clinical networks, Cancer Alliances and clinical support service networks.
In the Black Country there is agreement between our acute providers to work together to deliver effective, accessible, and sustainable acute care services for the Black Country. The agreement is between:
- Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust
- The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust
- The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
- Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust
This includes joint working in clinical and non-clinical areas such as workforce, finance, surgical and non-surgical specialities.
There is also a mental health, learning disability, and community healthcare provider for the population of the Black Country. Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides the region with:
- Adult and older adult mental health services.
- Specialist learning disability services.
- Mental health services for children and young people.
- Community healthcare services for children, young people, and families in Dudley.
