The Alternative Provider Collaborative (APC) is a partnership of social enterprises and charitable organisations operating across the Greater Manchester Integrated Care System (ICS). It provides an infrastructure for providers to engage with the ICS on a GM footprint and was founded in response to the new NHS system in July 2022.  The APC is a growing voice about the capabilities in public service expertise in NHS delivery. In the newly agreed NHS GM operating model, the Alternative Provider Collaborative sits alongside the GM Trust Provider Collaborative and The Primary Care Provider Collaborative.

The APC now has around 50 partner organisations in diverse areas of both geography and expertise. Services range from talking therapies, to cancer screening, to primary and urgent care. There are partners in all 10 GM boroughs. Partners are collectively employing over 2000 people and show turnover well in excess of £150m. They are providing services to nearly 2 million GM residents.

Now the APC is established it has the following aims:

• To scale up the social business sector in Greater Manchester and create large scale social impact
• To innovate to tackle inequality
• To provide high quality service solutions
• To bring new investment into the system
• To facilitate participation of smaller VCSE organisations in GM solutions.
• To striving for fairness and equality in terms and conditions with NHS trusts
• To ensure the new integrated structure fully recognises the value and worth of our partners.
• To continue to developing a national profile for GM providers
• To support commissioning for social value at scale

If you would like to hear more about this work please contact franky.procter@gmapc.org.uk