The NHS in England is experiencing an unprecedented crisis as funding deficits and waiting times rise. Pressures on the social care industry, where tariffs and costs are tracking divergent paths, are adding to the strain. The solution in the form of a compromise between the Treasury and NHS England guarantees £8bn of extra funding by 2020 in return for efficiency gains of 2-3% a year, leading to new care models that should join services together, improve care and save costs across the system. But what is the role of the private sector in this changing landscape?