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Health secretary Patricia Hewitt was told today to turn the government’s “warm words” on involving social enterprises in health and social care into action.

Jonathan Bland, chief executive of the Social Enterprise Coalition, called for more resources to be put into developing companies with a social purpose and helping them win contracts for health and social care.

The coalition, which represents social enterprises, was hosting a roundtable discussion to mark its publication of a pamphlet by Hewitt on involving social enterprises in health and social care.

Bland warned: “Social enterprises are not going to get off the ground unless they have the quick access to capital that other players have.”

Hewitt said she wanted to see more public sector providers in health and social care transformed into social enterprises, along the lines of NHS foundation trusts.

The Department of Health established a new Social Enterprise Unit earlier this year to encourage innovation in social care.