Healthcare consultancy

We helped Bolivia's government develop a family and community health policy designed to improve poor people’s access to primary healthcare

Our areas of expertise include public health, the commissioning, redesign and delivery of health services, strategy, marketing, business and financial planning and applied research – drawing on more than 20 years’ experience of working in over 100 countries around the world.

Our consultants have diverse backgrounds in the NHS and independent sector and from various health backgrounds. All have first-hand experience or knowledge of the health sector. Examples of our current work in the UK include:

• A two year programme for the UK Department of Health to update the skills of doctors from post-conflict countries. It involves a series of eight week customised clinical and change management training attachments in NHS Trusts, supported by the UK Medical Royal Colleges and BMJ Learning
• A three year contract to undertake inspections of nurse training across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland for the Nursing and Midwifery Council. This novel scheme adopts a risk-based approach to targeted inspections and re-approvals of Higher Education Institutions training programmes
• An ongoing programme of advice for aspirant NHS foundation trusts. We have worked with over ten NHS trusts, assisting them with market analysis, strategy and service planning, risk management, financial modelling and sensitivity analysis, public consultations, membership strategy, Board development and governance issues
• Development of the UK Department of Health’s global health strategy
• Assistance to the Delivery and Support Unit in Wales to achieve its nationwide access and waiting time targets

Work with the Commercial Directorate of the UK Department of Health to define and implement standards for Clinical Governance in the Independent Sector

Our involvement in health sector reform is significant and far-reaching encompassing key activities from programme design through to implementation and evaluation in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.

We have expertise in organisational development and restructuring of ministries and other traditional public sector organisations including decentralisation of provider units, which can involve establishing these as autonomous organisations with more freedom to respond to policy and financing incentives. We also have significant experience in delivering sector wide approaches (SWAPs) in a range of settings.

The work of our experts at HLSP emphasises the importance of translating pro-poor policies and strategies into effective practice. We have particular experience of utilising approaches where funding is pooled and allocated according to agreed strategies and plans. At country level, HLSP is involved in practical issues of health, poverty reduction and economic growth, evidence-based pro-poor policy and strategy, improving service delivery through management and performance strengthening and integrating disease-specific interventions into decentralisation efforts. We can also help with sponsoring and regulating the private sector and strengthening financial planning. In all our work, we emphasise building local capacity and long-term sustainable solutions.