\n A Freedom of Information request reveals the insourcing providers used by the Swindon hospital to deliver clinical services between April 2025 and March 2026.\n<\/p>\n
\n Insourcing in the NHS is the practice of hiring external third-party clinical providers, not from the NHS, to deliver medical services, procedures, or diagnostic tests inside NHS hospitals and facilities.\n<\/p>\n
\n These external teams typically use unused NHS equipment and rooms during evenings or weekends to help clear waiting lists.\n<\/p>\n
\n Healthcare Business Solutions (UK) received the most of the money from GWH, with \u00a3794,597.44 spent on dermatology and \u00a322,892.26 spent on plastics.\n<\/p>\n
\n Medicare Insourcing Services received \u00a3305,281.59 for ultrasound imaging, while Medical Group Limited got \u00a3377,803.47 for endoscopy insourcing and \u00a371,574.50 for urology insourcing.\n<\/p>\n
\n Altogether, this cost \u00a31,572,149.26.\n<\/p>\n
\n There has been some discussion about the pros and cons of insourcing in recent months.\n<\/p>\n
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Subscribe\ud83d\udc49https:\/\/t.co\/TRcoVgUC3b<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ujSt2dLFWa<\/a>\n <\/p>\n \n \u2014 Swindon Advertiser<\/a> (@swindonadver) July 21, 2026<\/a>\n <\/p>\n \n The HFMA, the professional association for healthcare finance, reported that some NHS bodies are concerned that insourcing arrangements are not necessarily best value for money and that wider financial considerations in relation to off-payroll working, VAT and lease accounting may have been missed.\n<\/p>\n \n On the other hand, the Independent Healthcare Providers Network has described insourcing as the \u201cunsung hero\u201d of NHS elective recovery because, in May 2026, NHS England was able to announce that they had hit targets.\n<\/p>\n \n It was found that the NHS had achieved the government\u2019s first interim target on 18-week waiters \u2013 with 65.3 per cent of patients now waiting for fewer than 18 weeks.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n IHPN Head of Acute Policy, John Hopgood, said: \u201cInsourcers are not staff agencies, sending one or two clinicians to cover a few shifts, nor are they the trust\u2019s own consultants working overtime.\n<\/p>\n \n \u201cRather, these providers are fully managed services with dedicated teams who can flex to stand up services quickly wherever they are most needed. And they all deliver activity inside NHS tariff prices.\n<\/p>\n \n \u201cData gathered by IHPN from its members suggests that at least three-quarters of a million patients are treated every year by insourced provision \u2013 but the true number is likely to be significantly higher.\n<\/p>\n \n \u201cThough it may not be visible, many trusts already rely on insourcing providers to help them hit their activity targets.\n<\/p>\n \n \u201cFor trusts, it\u2019s a win-win. Additional activity, delivered on site, at or below tariff cost, and all managed totally separately.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n When approached for comment, a spokesperson for Great Western Hospital confirmed that this \u00a31.5m bill for third party insourcing contracts is a routine, typical annual spend.\n<\/p>\n