Strengthening innovation capacity in health and care workforce: A role-based framework for the procurement professionals.

Background: The procurement function in the health and care workforce is pivotal for enabling innovation, sustainability, and value-based resource allocation. Yet, its workforce development remains underexplored in public health and health policy research.

Objective: To develop a role-based model of innovation procurement capacity in health and care, identifying emerging roles and associated competencies needed within complex public health systems.

Methods: We conducted 21 semi-structured interviews with procurement professionals from five European countries (Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain). Guided by the Dynamic Capabilities framework, thematic analysis identified role-based patterns in innovation procurement. Competency profiles were mapped against the European Commission's ProcurComp framework.

Results: Six emerging roles were identified: Strategic Business Partner, Digital/Automation Expert, Innovation Matchmaker, Sustainability Coordinator, Data Engineer, and Innovation Coordinator. These roles signal a shift from generalist procurement functions to specialised, distributed innovation capacities. The analysis extends the ProcurComp framework with sector-specific, innovation-oriented competencies.

Conclusions: Building procurement competencies in the health and care workforce is essential for harnessing innovation in service delivery. This study offers a framework for competency development and highlights the institutional conditions required for effective application. Innovation procurement demands differentiated roles and capabilities aligned with system-wide goals for resilience, digital transformation, and sustainability. The proposed role-based model serves as a practical roadmap for policymakers, public institutions, and training providers to professionalise the procurement workforce and position it as a strategic enabler of health and care transformation.