Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid visits NHS Business Services Authority

The Health and Social Care Secretary toured the NHS Business Services Authority’s (NHSBSA) Pilgrim Street office in Newcastle to see first-hand how the organisation manages large-scale business services for the NHS.

The Secretary of State heard how the NHSBSA provides national platforms and services which support primary care, the NHS workforce and enable citizens to gain access to help with healthcare to which they are entitled.

The NHSBSA then demonstrated how it has supported national priorities, such as the levelling up agenda, through services like the NHS Healthy Start scheme, providing valuable support for families to gain access to healthy food. Since taking over the operation of the scheme, the NHSBSA has increased uptake by streamlining and simplifying the application process. More than 80,000 families who previously were not accessing the scheme are now benefitting by a total of over £1million per month.

After hearing about NHSBSA’s work on the UK Global Health Insurance Card and other overseas health services and how it has transformed these service with its digital capabilities, the Secretary of State toured the office speaking to colleagues and thanking them for their efforts throughout the pandemic.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: ““It was excellent to start my second day of my Road to Recovery Tour visiting NHSBSA in Newcastle.

“Across the organisation, 3,500 staff give valuable support to the NHS and wider health and care system – helping to improve patient safety and outcomes.

“It was great to hear more about NHSBSA’s work on the UK Global Health Insurance Card and how the organisation is contributing to our mission to level up the health of the nation through schemes such as the NHS Healthy Start.”

Michael Brodie, Chief Executive of NHS Business Services Authority added: “We are absolutely delighted to have the Secretary of State visit us here in the North East. It was a brilliant opportunity to show him some of our latest projects and see his enthusiasm for our work.

"It was great to hear his praise of us as an organisation and the work that we are doing for the wider NHS to improve patient outcomes, safety, and taxpayer value.”