Provision

Provision is the delivery of health services to patients.

Updated 12 October 2026 (1 minute read)

Summary

  • Providers include NHS trusts, GP practices, charities and private companies working under NHS contracts.
  • Commissioning is the other half. Commissioners plan which services an area needs and pay providers to deliver them.
  • The split was created by the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 and took effect in 1991.
  • Access to NHS services is based on clinical need, whoever provides them.

Interview questions

  • What is the difference between commissioning and providing a service?
  • Should private companies provide NHS care?
  • Why might the same treatment be available in one area and not in another?

Practise answering these with a mentor

Our interview preparation has you answer questions like these out loud, with feedback on each answer.

More NHS hot topics, medical ethics case studies and medical school interview questions are in AlphaMED Resources, which we add to and update through the application cycle.