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Health Secretary Andrew Lansley praises Whizz-Kidz innovation

Yesterday, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley addressed the ‘Voice 11′ social enterprise conference in London – where he cited Whizz-Kidz’s pioneering NHS partnership working as “very clear evidence of how the business model, the social enterprise model [...] really does deliver.”

Ambassador Robyn at the launch of Whizz-Kidz Tower Hamlets partnership in 2007

Mr Lansley said:

“We have to foster the enterprise and innovation which is the hallmark of all successful organisations. Frankly, I don’t think it’s about public sector versus private sector vs voluntary sector. It’s about the characteristics of successful organisations [...]

“Take for example when I was in Tower Hamlets with Whizz-Kidz, a voluntary sector organisation applying themselves in order to give great services, focussing on the people you’re serving. They designed what they did around the needs of young wheelchair users. And it wasn’t just that the wheelchair users got the service they need, when they needed it, but it cost 60% less than it had done under the previous arrangements.

“And for every pound spent on Whizz-kidz’s services, you get up to £65 back in social value – because of the social, environmental and economic benefits of good wheelchair access for young people.”

Mr Lansley was quoting figures from a new report published by leading economic firm Frontier Economics [opens report in PDF], which outlines the Social Return on Investment (SROI) of Whizz-Kidz’s work and the impact of our equipment provision for disabled children and young people. The report states that for every £1 invested in these vital services, benefits of between £10 and £65 are generated, and summarises four key benefits to families of better wheelchair provision:

  • To the child: greater independence and the impact on future ability to work
  • To the family: freed up time from caring for full or part-time work
  • To the school: reduced need for support from a teaching assistant and classroom adaptation
  • To healthcare: reduced need for treatment (of child and carer) for health problems that can be caused by having the wrong type of equipment

To read the full findings, download the Frontier Economics Whizz-Kidz Social Return on Investment Report [PDF].

Written April 1st, 2011. Posted in News