NHS outsourcing

Living with psoriatic disease, whether psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, often means managing multiple appointments, treatments, and specialists. You may have heard that the NHS is increasingly “outsourcing” some services and wondered what that means for your care.

NHS outsourcing happens when the NHS partners with private or independent healthcare providers to deliver certain NHS-funded services. This does not replace the NHS or mean you are moved into private care. Instead, it allows the NHS to use additional resources so people can be seen more quickly. You can think of it as adding extra team members to help meet demand, offering more appointment options in different locations, sometimes closer to home.

Several well-known private providers deliver these services under NHS contracts. These include Spire Healthcare, HCRG Care Group (formerly Virgin Care), Circle Health Group (which now includes BMI Healthcare), Ramsay Health Care UK, and HealthHarmonie. HealthHarmonie, for instance, runs community clinics where dermatology services are provided using fast referrals and digital tools to manage patient care. Providers like these help NHS hospitals and clinics reduce waiting times and improve access to specialists.

For people living with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, outsourcing can bring important benefits. It can mean shorter waits to see dermatologists or rheumatologists and more opportunities to attend community-based clinics instead of travelling to large hospitals. This often leads to more joined-up care, where dermatology, rheumatology, and even mental health support are combined. In some cases, patients gain quicker access to therapies and digital tools that make managing symptoms easier. However, access to new medicines, including biologics and JAK inhibitors, is still guided by NHS England formularies and NICE recommendations, not outsourcing alone. Even so, outsourcing generally makes treatment timelier, more convenient, and more suited to individual needs, helping to manage skin symptoms and protect joint health.

Many NHS trusts and partner providers now offer care that fits around home life. Specialist centres often provide nurse-led training for self-injecting medications and ongoing support from nursing teams. Virtual consultations and remote monitoring allow patients to get advice and assessments without needing to visit the hospital as often.

Prescription services have also improved, with many patients able to receive medications by post or collect them locally, supported through shared care between GPs and specialists. These options give patients greater independence and help maintain high-quality care without unnecessary travel.

Outsourcing has many advantages. It increases appointment availability, shortens waiting times, and brings services closer to where patients live. It also provides access to experienced specialists and modern medical technologies while allowing NHS staff to focus on frontline hospital care. But there are challenges too. Outsourcing can sometimes be more expensive depending on the type of service and contract. Quality of care may vary between providers, and sharing medical information between NHS teams and outsourced services is not always seamless, which can disrupt continuity of care. Access to these services also differs across regions, which may lead to unequal treatment. Private providers must manage both patient care and financial targets, which can sometimes pull in different directions.

As a patient, it helps to know exactly who is delivering your care, whether it is directly through the NHS or via an independent partner. Keeping track of your appointments and treatments, speaking up if there are delays or issues, and using available digital tools all help you stay in control of your healthcare.

Sources:

• South East London Integrated Medicines Optimisation Committee: Clinical protocol treatment pathway for adults with moderate to severe psoriasis (2024).
• NHS Dorset: The management of psoriasis in adults (2023).
• North East London Integrated Care Board: High-cost drugs treatment pathway for psoriasis (2025)
• NHS England: Specialised Dermatology Commissioning Guidance (2024).