The Health Foundation defines anchor institutions as “large, public sector organisations that are called such because they are unlikely to relocate and have a significant stake in a geographical area – they are effectively ‘anchored’ in their surrounding community.”
The infographic below illustrates how NHS organisations can adopt anchor practices in order to use their resources and assets to support the health and wealth of the communities they serve.
At ELFT we have been working to become an anchor organisation for two years. Early successes we are building on include:
- Embedding social value into procurement and commissioning
- Increasing employment opportunities for our local communities
- Reducing our environmental impact to reach Net Zero in direct emissions by 2040
- Exploring how we use our buildings and land for the benefit of our communities
Our key ambitions going forward are outlined in our Anchor Plan 2023.
Links to further resources: