The Challenge

Lancashire and South Cumbria Provider Collaborative Board commissioned an independent review to assess whether the Collaborative was operating as effectively and efficiently as possible, and whether its structures, governance and delivery model were fit for the next phase of system reform. The Board wanted a clear, evidence-based view of:

• How well the Collaborative was delivering against national and system expectations

• Whether resources and investment were translating into measurable impact and value for money

• How its operating model compared with other leading provider collaboratives
• What changes were required to strengthen focus, pace and system leadership

The Approach

We undertook a comprehensive, system-focused review grounded in both deep local insight and national benchmarking. Our approach combined:

• Structured interviews with a wide cross-section of stakeholders, including collaborative leadership, provider trust executives and system partners, ensuring breadth and balance of perspectives

• Comparative benchmarking against other regional provider collaboratives to assess relative maturity, cost, scale and effectiveness

• Assessment against national expectations for provider collaboratives, including productivity, variation reduction, system leadership and value for money

• Clear synthesis of qualitative and quantitative evidence, tested back with the Board to ensure accuracy and credibility

Throughout the review we focused not just on diagnosis, but on practical, deliverable improvements that would strengthen the Collaborative’s impact.

The Outcomes

MIAA added value by bringing independent challenge and system-wide perspective grounded in deep NHS experience. We were able to translate complex qualitative insights into clear, actionable recommendations, including;

• A clear, evidence-based assessment of the Collaborative’s maturity, strengths and constraints

• A comparative analysis of operating models, staffing and financial investment across peer collaboratives

• Insight into where governance, decision-making and programme focus were enabling, or inhibiting, progress

• A small number of prioritised, high-impact recommendations, designed to sharpen focus, improve delivery and demonstrate value for money

• A concise executive narrative and slide pack to support Board discussion and decision-making

The Collaborative was benchmarked locally against real-world collaborative models, not theoretical best practice, focusing on impact, outcomes and value, not just structures and process. The review built confidence and consensus at Board level through clear, balanced and credible analysis, providing the Provider Collaborative Board with:

• A shared and objective understanding of where the Collaborative is performing well and where change is required

• Clarity on how to simplify governance, strengthen delivery discipline and focus on fewer, higher-impact programmes

• A clear framework for improving visibility of impact, productivity and value for money

• A strong evidence base to support future decisions on resourcing, programme prioritisation and system leadership

• The Board confirmed that the work met its objectives and provided a robust platform for the next phase of development.

“This review provided exactly the clarity we needed. It was insightful, well-evidenced and constructive, and gave the Board confidence about where to focus its effort to maximise impact and value for the system.”

Chair, Provider Collaborative Board