In this episode of The Business of Healthcare Podcast – How It Got Commissioned, Tara is joined by Rukshana Kapasi, Director of Health at Barnardo's, the UK's largest children's charity.

Rukshana shares the story behind a short-term pilot that placed family support workers in A&E to reduce avoidable and repeat attendances by children and young people. What began as a three month, winter-pressures pilot went on to generate compelling evidence, and ultimately informed a national NHS England rollout across seven regions.

This conversation is a practical, honest look at commissioning outside the usual tendering routes, the power of VCSE partnerships, and why looking beyond traditional NHS funding streams matters more than ever.

In this episode, we explore:

• The risks and realities of short term pilots, and when they're worth taking

• Why evidence, outcomes, and confidence data mattered more than access alone

• The importance of commissioner relationships and senior sponsorship

• Why starting small, testing, and learning can lead to scalable change

Rukshana also shares practical advice for anyone trying to get an idea commissioned that doesn't neatly fit an existing pathway, including why you shouldn't wait for "perfect" data before starting conversations.

Connect with Rukshana Kapasi here.