Chris Whitehouse, a political consultant and expert on medical technology policy and regulation at Whitehouse Communications, an advisor to MedTech suppliers, chair of the Urology Trade Association, and governor of the Anscombe Bioethics Centre, reports on the publication of a new Social Value Playbook to guide NHS value based procurement decisions.
In what NHS England is hailing as a significant stride toward embedding sustainability and equity into healthcare delivery, it has released the NHS Social Value Playbook, a comprehensive guide aimed at revolutionising how the health service procures goods and services.
The new Playbook is intended to outline practical steps for integrating social value at every stage of the NHS procurement and commissioning lifecycle, aligning with the UK Government’s updated Social Value Model and the NHS’s broader goals to reduce health inequalities and achieve net zero carbon emissions.
What Is Social Value in the NHS Context?
Social value refers to the additional social, economic, and environmental benefits that can be delivered through public sector contracts. For the NHS, this means leveraging its vast purchasing power to improve patient outcomes, support local communities, and contribute to environmental sustainability. The Playbook defines social value as a mechanism to “improve patients’ lives and the communities they live in through how we buy and the way we manage contracts”.
Practical Guidance for Procurement Teams
The Playbook responds to internal feedback from NHS buying teams and suppliers who sought clearer direction on implementing social value. It offers detailed advice on:
- Question Setting: Crafting relevant and proportionate questions for suppliers that reflect NHS priorities.
- Evaluation: Assessing supplier responses in a way that rewards meaningful commitments.
- Contract Management: Embedding key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor delivery of social value throughout the contract lifecycle.
One of the Playbook’s core messages is the importance of early collaboration between commercial teams, commissioners, clinicians, and suppliers. By engaging stakeholders from the outset, NHS organisations can ensure that social value themes are tailored to the needs of patients and communities.
Climate Action and Sustainability
A standout feature of the Playbook is its emphasis on environmental stewardship. It encourages NHS teams to include fighting climate change as either a core contract requirement or a social value theme. This flexibility allows suppliers to go beyond their basic obligations and contribute to the NHS’s net zero ambitions.
The guidance also recommends incorporating clean energy initiatives, modern slavery prevention, and carbon reduction plans into procurement strategies. These elements reflect the NHS’s commitment to ethical sourcing and long-term sustainability.
Measuring Impact Through KPIs
To ensure accountability, the Playbook stresses the importance of defining and tracking KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) related to social value. These metrics help NHS organisations verify that suppliers are delivering on their promises and allow for continuous improvement. Examples include:
- Number of local jobs created
- Reduction in carbon emissions
- Community engagement activities
- Support for vulnerable populations
By quantifying outcomes, the Playbook argues, the NHS can demonstrate tangible benefits beyond the immediate scope of contracts.
Supplier Engagement and Market Readiness
Pre-market engagement is another key recommendation. The Playbook advises NHS teams to consult with suppliers before launching tenders to ensure that social value questions are relevant and achievable. This approach fosters transparency and helps suppliers prepare robust responses that align with NHS goals.
Suppliers are also encouraged to showcase their expertise in delivering social value, whether through existing initiatives or new proposals tailored to NHS needs. The Playbook provides examples of successful supplier contributions, such as training programmes for disadvantaged groups or sustainable packaging solutions.
Alignment with National Policy
The Playbook complements several national initiatives, including:
- Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012: Mandates consideration of social value in public procurement.
- Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 06/20: Requires a minimum 10% weighting for social value in central government contracts.
- NHS Net Zero Commitment: Targets net zero emissions by 2040 for directly controlled emissions and by 2045 for those the NHS can influence.
By aligning with these frameworks, the Playbook ensures consistency across NHS organisations and supports the government’s broader sustainability and equity agenda.
A Vision for the Future
The NHS Social Value Playbook marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of public sector procurement. It empowers NHS teams to think beyond cost and efficiency, focusing instead on how contracts can drive positive change in society. From reducing health disparities to combating climate change, the Playbook positions procurement as a strategic tool for delivering better outcomes for patients and communities alike.
As the NHS continues to navigate complex challenges, this guidance offers a roadmap for embedding purpose into every purchasing decision. It’s not just about what the NHS buys—it’s about how those choices shape the world around us, the Playbook loftily claims.
The MedTech sector needs to engage with this new approach to procurement and give early thought to how it can generate evidence to support claims that its products can demonstrably and measurably contribute to the social good; not least because these questions will form one of the five “domains”, or groups of questions, being introduced through the new Standard Guidance on value based procurement that will deliver a paradigm shift, for better or for worse, in NHS purchasing of MedTech products from early 2026 onwards.
The Author used AI in preparing this article, comments upon or questions about which can be addressed to chris.whitehouse@whitehousecomms.com.
