Timetable for implementation of the workforce disability equality standard

NHS England has published an indicative timetable for implementation of the workforce disability equality standard (WDES).

The WDES will be mandated via the NHS Standard Contract for 2017-19. The NHS Standard Contract for 2017-19 sets out that NHS trusts and foundation trusts will have to implement the WDES in the first year.

PFI and PF2

This briefing from the National Audit Office looks at the rationale, costs and benefits of the Private Finance Initiative; the use of and impact of PFI, and ability to make savings from operational contracts; and the introduction of PF2.

NHS standard contract 2017-19 (January 2018 edition) – eContract system

The eContract system has been updated in line with the NHS standard contract 2017-19 (January 2018 edition – both full length and shorter).

The eContract system reduces the time taken to draft the contract. NHS England strongly recommends that commissioners and providers use the eContract system. 

Guidance on National Variations to existing 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2017-19 (November 2016 edition) full length contracts, and 2016/17 and existing 2017-19 (November 2016 edition) shorter-form contracts

This document from NHS England contains guidance on the completion of the mandatory National Variations to existing full length NHS Standard Contracts on the 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2017-19 (November 2016 edition) forms, and existing shorter-form contracts on 2016/17 and 2017-19 (November 2016 edition) forms, to enact changes reflected in the NHS Standard Contract 2017-19 (January 2018 edition).

NHS Standard Contract 2017/18 and 2018/19 Technical Guidance

This is the draft version of the NHS Standard Contract 2017-19 Technical Guidance, published to accompany NHS England’s statutory consultation in October 2017.

NHS England has also published for consultation, proposals for in-year National Variations to the NHS Standard Contract 2017/18 and 2018/19 (Full Length) and to the NHS Standard Contract 2017/18 and 2018/19 (Shorter Form). We have also published the associated Technical Guidance in draft form.

Accountable care models contract: proposed changes to regulations

The Department of Health is seeking views on changes to the regulations on the running of an NHS standard contract (accountable care models).

The development of the Accountable Care Organisations contract has identified some necessary changes to regulation. This is largely to ensure that current rules continue to apply to the new contract, and the organisations using it.

NHS standard contract: guidance on the variations process (full-length and shorter-form contracts)

This document from NHS England contains guidance on the process to effect variations to a commissioning contract in the form of the NHS standard contract (full length or shorter-form) and is relevant to all commissioners and providers who are parties to an NHS standard contract.

Integrated support and assurance process

These documents describe the integrated NHS England and NHS Improvement process for supporting commissioners and providers looking to procure and bid for complex contracts.

Revised ACO contract to replace MCP and PACS versions

In July 2016, NHS Improvement published the multispecialty community provider (MCP) emerging care model and contract framework. As well as describing the MCP care model in more detail, it introduced the MCP Contract and business model that underpins it. An initial draft version of the MCP Contract was published in December 2016 for a period of public engagement and informal feedback.

Following this feedback, the Accountable Care Organisation (ACO) Contract and supporting documents have now been revised for use by local commissioners to inform the early stages of their procurement processes. Importantly, the Contract can now be used for accountable care models generally, including MCP and integrated primary and acute care system (PACS) models.

The ACO Contract has been produced following intensive joint work with a number of vanguards with whom we are co-developing the approach to ensure that the Contract is able to help facilitate local plans.

We will be working with commissioners in the most advanced areas to test the revised Contract and to improve it further and plan to release an updated version for formal consultation in 2018.

Integrating care: contracting for accountable models NHS England

NHS England has published information on contractual arrangements for accountable care organisations.

This package clarifies how accountable models may be contracted for, how local areas would approach procurement questions and the application of the new Integrated Support and Assurance Process, run by NHSE and NHSI in relation to the award of all novel or complex procurements by commissioners. It sets out the funding model including the details of integrated budget approaches, a new Improvement Payment Scheme to replace current incentive schemes and gain/loss sharing across the local health economy to align incentives. Finally, the package describes implications for the commissioning system of new models of whole population provision.

The interface between primary and secondary care: Key messages for NHS clinicians and managers

Good organisation of care across the interface between general practice and secondary care providers is crucial in ensuring that patients receive high-quality care and in making the best use of clinical time and NHS resources in both settings. This briefing document describes the key national requirements which clinicians and managers across the NHS need to be aware of. These are set out in the new NHS Standard Contract for 2017-19, under which clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) commission health services from providers, which came into effect on 1 April 2017 and which will remain in place until 31 March 2019.

• The interface between primary and secondary care: Key messages for NHS clinicians and managers
• Joint letter from NHS England and NHS Improvement

Provision of community care: who, what, how much?

This briefing analyses information on the community care contracts held by 78 per cent of CCGs in England to enable better understanding of the provision of these services. It finds that NHS providers hold more than half of the total annual value of contracts in the sample, while private providers held 5 per cent of the total annual value, but 39 per cent of the total number of contracts issued.

• Briefing

Updated version of 2016 TCS for doctors and dentists in training

Amended version of the terms and conditions of service (TCS) for NHS doctors and dentists in training from NHS Employers.

A best practice guide for consultant job planning

Advice for trusts from NHS Improvement to ensure that their approach to consultant job planning is consistent with best practice.

NHS procurement transparency: NHS standard contract

Updated guidance is available to all NHS trusts on the actions to take to increase openness and clarity about NHS procurement.

Delivering an Outcomes-based NHS: Creating the Right Conditions

This OHE Seminar Briefing summarises a seminar given by Dr Nicholas Hicks, Co-founder and Chief Executive of COBIC (Capitated Outcomes-Based Incentivised Care) describing COBIC’s outcomes-centred approach that has been adopted by NHS services across England and that brings together commissioners, providers, other professions, patients and carers.

Nationally contracted products programme

This programme led by NHS improvement and and delivered through NHS Supply Chain and NHS Business Services Authority aims to reduce product and price variation on everyday hospital products by purchasing them on behalf of all providers.

The website will be regularly updated as products come up for auction and when contracts have been awarded so that you can see which supplier has been awarded the contract and how much the NHS has saved.

UnitingCare missed the wood for the trees

The King’s Fund has published an analysis of the reasons behind the failure of the UnitingCare contract.

In 2013, commissioners and providers in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough went through a procurement process to award a new five-year, £725 million community services contract. The clinical commissioning group (CCG) received 60 expressions of interest and shortlisted 10 consortia, before selecting UnitingCare – a partnership of two foundation trusts – in October 2014. UnitingCare’s final offer was £27 million less than the lowest of the offers from other bidders.

Nobody, it seems, was quite sure what they were bidding for. Even the incumbent provider was unsure how much it cost to deliver the services. None of the bidders could be sure how quickly they might reduce costs or improve outcomes. The deal collapsed after only six months, an inevitability once the gulf between funding and costs became apparent...

Contracting for new care models

Creative use of the contracting process is a critical factor in making new care models happen.

Building on the success of previous innovative contracting events, PCC and Capsticks have teamed up to share current good practice with commissioners and providers. The event uses case studies to allow delegates to explore how learning from other parts of the country can be reapplied to their local aspirations.

The event will be held on 25 January 2017 in Leeds and 22 March 2017 in Birmingham

NHS standard contract 2017/18

The NHS standard contract is mandated by NHS England for use by commissioners for all contracts for healthcare services other than primary care. It has now been updated from the 2016/17 to the 2017/18 - 2018/19 version. A summary of the changes can be found in section three of the technical guidance.

See also NHS England updates.