Sustainability and transformation plans: translating the perspectives

Each local health economy has been tasked with producing a sustainability and transformation plan. A health economy is a system that controls and contributes to health-care resource and the effects of health services on its population. This includes commissioners, acute providers, primary care providers, community services, public health and the voluntary sector. Sustainability and transformation plans represent a shift in the way health care is planned for in England. The aim of each sustainability and transformation plan is to deliver care within existing resource limits by improving quality of care, developing new models of care and improving efficiency of care provision. The tight timescales for production of sustainability and transformation plans mean that in most cases there has been limited clinical engagement; as a result many clinicians have limited sight, understanding or ownership of the proposals within sustainability and transformation plans. As sustainability and transformation plans move into the implementation phase, this article explores the role of the clinician in the ongoing design and delivery of the local sustainability and transformation plans. By finding the common ground between the perspectives of the clinician, the commissioner and system leaders, the motivation of clinicians can be aligned with the ambitions of the sustainability and transformation plan. The common goal of a sustainability and transformation plan and the necessary collaboration required to make it successful is discussed. Ultimately, such translation is essential: clinicians are intelligent, adaptive and motivated individuals who must have a lead role in constructing and implementing plans that transform health and social care.