Commercial Strategy Development
The Context
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) provides mental health and community healthcare services across Essex, Bedfordshire and Suffolk. Operating within a complex health and care system, the Trust faced increasing competition from both NHS and independent providers, alongside significant changes to the commissioning landscape through the introduction of Integrated Care Systems. EPUT commissioned Human Engine to develop a modern commercial and partnerships strategy that would strengthen its market position, enhance collaboration across the health system and support its ambition to become the provider of choice for mental health and community services.
Our Approach
We worked with EPUT to develop a modern commercial and partnerships strategy, combining stakeholder engagement, market analysis and strategic planning to position the Trust for future success. This comprised:
Stakeholder Engagement: Engaged with Board members, senior leaders, corporate teams and frontline clinical staff to understand perceptions of the Trust's existing commercial strategy and future ambitions.
Market and Competitor Analysis: Undertook a comprehensive review of local commissioning arrangements, contract registers, commissioning intentions and competitor activity across the health and care system.
Commercial Opportunity Assessment: Developed a forward view of upcoming opportunities, contract expiries and commissioning priorities to support strategic planning and resource allocation.
National Policy Review: Assessed emerging NHS policy, commissioning reform and Integrated Care System developments to understand future implications for the Trust.
Strategy Development: Designed a new Commercial and Partnerships Strategy, supported by a delivery roadmap, capability framework and commercial culture plan.
Outputs and Outcomes
The project delivered a clear commercial direction, improved market intelligence and a stronger framework for identifying and pursuing future opportunities:
Commercial and Partnerships Strategy: Developed a modern strategy aligned to the evolving NHS landscape, balancing commercial growth with partnership working and system leadership.
Organisation-Wide Alignment: Established a shared understanding of commercial priorities and ambitions across the Trust, creating greater consistency and Board-level buy-in.
Strategic Opportunity Pipeline: Produced a forward plan of commercial opportunities based on commissioning intentions, contract arrangements and market intelligence.
Enhanced Market Intelligence: Delivered detailed insight into competitor strengths, weaknesses and positioning to support future business development activity.
Opportunities Qualification Framework: Introduced a structured approach to assessing commercial opportunities, ensuring resources were focused on the most viable and strategically important opportunities.
Commercial Capability Framework: Defined the skills, knowledge and organisational capabilities required to strengthen commercial performance and support long-term growth.
About Us
Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects.
Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures.
Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership.