Domain F: Sustainability¶
Focus: Financial sustainability and economic contribution
Indicators: 6 (2 Core, 4 Enhancement)
The business question
Can we pay the bills? Moves us from short-term grant dependency to sustainable cost recovery.
Most health data services in the UK operate on short-term grant funding, creating a cycle of uncertainty that undermines staffing, infrastructure investment, and strategic planning. This domain assesses whether an organisation has moved beyond grant dependency toward sustainable cost recovery, commercial partnerships, and demonstrable economic impact — the evidence base funders need to commit to long-term investment.
Indicator Summary¶
| ID | Indicator | Type | Class | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F.1.1 | Funding Horizon | Core | B0 | Both |
| F.1.2 | Financial Risk Management | Enhancement | O | Both |
| F.2.1 | Cost Recovery & Pricing | Core | B0 | Both |
| F.2.2 | Commercial Revenue & Partnerships | Enhancement | O | Both |
| F.3.1 | Economic Impact Assessment | Enhancement | Y | Both |
| F.3.2 | Value Demonstration | Enhancement | Y | Both |
F.1 — Funding Security¶
F.1.1 Funding Horizon¶
CORE · B0 · Both
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| L1 | Precarious. Short-term grants. Gap within 12 months. |
| L2 | Secured 1-2 years. Not baselined. Grant-dependent. |
| L3 | Core secured 2-3 years. Mixed baseline/grant. Medium-term concerns. |
| L4 | Core >= 3 years. Baseline covers essentials. Grants supplement not sustain. |
| L5 | Long-term >= 5 years. Diverse sources. Reserves. Enables innovation. |
F.1.2 Financial Risk Management¶
ENHANCEMENT · O · Both
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| L1 | No management. Single funder. No contingency. |
| L2 | Risks identified. Mitigation discussed. Limited diversification. |
| L3 | Basic with risks/mitigations. Some diversification. Minor contingency. |
| L4 | Active with register, plans, review. >= 3 sources. 3+ months reserves. |
| L5 | Comprehensive resilience. Scenario planning. Counter-cyclical. Enables opportunistic investment. |
F.2 — Commercial Models¶
F.2.1 Cost Recovery & Pricing¶
CORE · B0 · Both
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| L1 | No recovery. Services free/subsidised. True cost unknown. |
| L2 | Analysis initiated. Unit costs calculated. Principles discussed. |
| L3 | Model with pricing for some services. Partial recovery. Basic IP terms. |
| L4 | Comprehensive with rate card. Tiered. >= 50% recovery. IP aligned with Fair Value principles. |
| L5 | Transparent, sustainable pricing model (published rate card, justified subsidies, predictable invoicing). Fair Value aligned. |
F.2.2 Commercial Revenue & Partnerships¶
ENHANCEMENT · O · Both
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| L1 | No commercial revenue. No partnership framework. |
| L2 | Opportunities identified. Pilots initiated. Principles developing. |
| L3 | Some revenue (<10%). Offering exists. Basic agreements. |
| L4 | Significant (10-30%). Active pipeline. Competitive. LSSD2 aligned. IP defined. |
| L5 | Substantial (>30%). Major partnerships. Sophisticated models. Good practice. |
F.3 — Impact Evidence¶
F.3.1 Economic Impact Assessment¶
ENHANCEMENT · Y (Outcome) · Both
Outcome indicator
This is an Outcome/Context indicator — reported for situational awareness but excluded from readiness scoring.
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| L1 | No assessment. Contribution not quantified. |
| L2 | Commissioned/planned. Methodology developing. |
| L3 | Initial completed. Headlines available. May be limited. |
| L4 | Proportionate assessment within 3 years. Methodology documented. Findings published. |
| L5 | Regular. Validated. Trajectory tracked. Influences policy. Contributing nationally. |
F.3.2 Value Demonstration¶
ENHANCEMENT · Y (Outcome) · Both
Outcome indicator
This is an Outcome/Context indicator — reported for situational awareness but excluded from readiness scoring.
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| L1 | No systematic demonstration. Benefits claimed not evidenced. |
| L2 | Proposition articulated. Case studies developing. Metrics defined. |
| L3 | Portfolio of case studies. Metrics tracked. Communicated. |
| L4 | Comprehensive framework with multiple dimensions. Regular reporting. Supports funding case. |
| L5 | Sophisticated with attribution. ROI quantified. Influences policy. Framework shared. |