Our partner Burrum River Advisory specialises in helping public sector organisations manage their investment strategies. In particular, Bramble Hub and Burrum have won contracts with several NHS organisations to help change the way capital is managed and allocated. Matt Custance from Burrum recently published an article examining what has changed for the better, and what still remains to be done. Matt brings both good and less good news:
The good news about NHS capital investment
-
Approval limits for providers have increased, so more schemes can in theory be agreed locally without always needing national sign‑off.
-
Business case processes are clearer and less duplicative than they were, which should make it easier to navigate the approvals journey.
- There is more visibility of capital allocations over multiple years.
The less good news
-
The overall capital envelope remains tight and is still vulnerable to being used to shore up day‑to‑day financial pressures, rather than backing long‑term change.
-
Strong central controls and continuing Treasury scepticism mean that turning good ideas into funded, approved projects is still slow and uncertain.
-
Many systems struggle to turn strategy into a robust pipeline of well‑designed, “finishable” schemes, so progress on the ground can feel fragile and stop‑start.
