Anchor programme

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 to use their resources and assets to support the health and wealth of the communities they serve. 

At ELFT, we have agreed a set of social value priorities that form a framework for ELFT to progress as an anchor organisation: 

• Ensuring our suppliers pay the Real Living Wage set by the Living Wage Foundation
• Investment to grow and retention of spend in local economies
• The creation of equal employment and training opportunities for local people, people with protected characteristics, service users, and groups hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic
• Support for young workers, school leavers and apprenticeship schemes
• A commitment to sustainability, including a reduction in carbon emissions 

To date, the focus of the anchor programme at ELFT has been on embedding these social values into procurement. In 2022, with grant funding from the Health Foundation, we are carrying out an evaluation of our work in this area to generate learning and identify best practice in relation to how to embed social values in procurement and contract management. 

Going forward, our priority is to further develop the employment pillar of our Anchor programme, in line with our work on implementing the Marmot principle, “Create fair employment and good work for all.” 

Links to further resources: 

• Health Foundation 2019 report ‘Building healthier communities: the role of the NHS as an anchor institution’