Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how the term lead provider is defined and whether organisations other than the NHS may be lead providers.

The term ‘lead provider’ does not have a specific legal definition, but it usually means a person who holds a contract, and subcontracts some obligations under that contract. It is a term used in the National Health Service and elsewhere. In the NHS context, health and other related services are commissioned by public bodies – NHS England, clinical commissioning groups and local authorities. Providers, including lead providers, may be NHS (i.e. NHS trusts and foundation trusts) or non-NHS bodies.