Private sector provider Harmoni is building a new corporate model that merges the best practices from GP co-ops, employee partnerships and limited companies while encompassing NHS values, and is being rewarded with rapid growth, delivering healthcare to more than 5% of the population – making it one of the largest primary care providers in the UK.
Andrew Gardner, CEO of Harmoni, said: “In the past there were three types of providers: co-ops that had come together to provide a service, the traditional shareholder organisations, and the John Lewis style ‘worker co-ownership’ companies where all permanent staff are partners in the business.
None of these providers have provided the right balance of price and quality. Harmoni will be a unique organisation. We will create a hybrid of all three of the above businesses: shareholder, co-op and worker participation.”
Harmoni’s specialist technology experience helped to set up and run the NHS Direct’s 24/7 call system, operating call centres that house call handling and triage services serving the population with out-of-hours care.
Harmoni now delivers out-of-hours services on behalf of 10 Primary Care Trusts across the UK.
