Towards an effective NHS payment system: eight principles

This report from the Health Foundation sets out eight principles for a future payment system, primarily arguing that clarity of purpose is required to refocus the system’s many objectives. It argues that that now is the ideal time to review the system, with vanguards and STPs already changing the way that care is delivered, while a two-year fixed payment by results tariff offers space for reform.

When the price isn't right: how cuts in hospital payments added up to the NHS deficit

NHS hospitals and other services ended the financial year 2016/17 with an underlying deficit of £3.7 billion. That is to say: they had £3.7 billion less reliable cash coming in than they had going out.

The answer, in this briefing from the Nuffield Trust, is surprisingly simple: hospitals are paid for each patient they treat, and the price they receive is set by a national tariff listing thousands of common procedures or types of care. But the prices on this list have been cut in real terms every year since 2009/10, and most years in cash terms too.

This means that a hospital will be given just £937 in cash this year to treat a patient they would have received £1,000 in cash to care for in 2009/10 – the green line on our graph. Factor in eight years of inflation, and that £937 is more like £760 (the blue line).

2017-18 education & training placement tariffs: tariff guidance and prices from 1st April 2017

This document from the Department of Health sets out the national tariffs for healthcare education and training placements in the academic year 2017 to 2018; how the tariffs will be implemented; and in what circumstances the national tariffs may be varied and how to do this. The tariffs cover non-medical placements and medical undergraduate and postgraduate placements in secondary care.

Local Tariff Variation and Ophthalmology Commissioning

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) has been working with NHS England to promote the local tariff variation option for ophthalmology. NHS England is highlighting this to all CCGs and RCOphth is publishing Local Tariff Variation and Ophthalmology Commissioning to help those who wish to consider future changes to their local tariff structure.

NHS National Tariff Payment System 2016/17

Update on the NHS National Tariff Payment System for 2016/17.

2017/19 national tariff published

NHS Improvement and NHS England have launched the 2017/19 national tariff.

Tariff Metrics engine

The metrics engine is a tool that NHS England has developed to explain how tariff prices change as we move through the price modelling process.

Delivering The Forward View: NHS Operational Planning Guidance For 2017/18 And 2018/19

This NHS England guidance aims to provide NHS trusts and commissioners with tools they need to plan for the years ahead. For the first time, the guidance covers two financial years, to provide greater stability, underpinned by a two-year tariff for NHS patients and a two-year NHS Standard Contract.

See also Technical guidance for NHS planning 2017/18 and 2018/19

Healthcare education and training tariff: 2016 to 2017

Sets out what the tariffs cover, how to use the tariffs and also in what circumstances the national tariffs may be varied.

National tariff proposals for 2017/18 and 2018/19

Deadline for submissions 26th August

MHN is seeking member views on the tariff engagement document published last week by NHS England and NHS Improvement.

The engagement document seeks views on certain proposals by the national bodies for changes to the national tariff, along with other proposals relating to the pricing system.

The proposals – include four new best practice tariffs, the introduction of new innovation and technology tariff, and changes to local payment rules for mental health.

Provider bulletin: 3 August 2016 - NHS Improvement

In this edition: national tariff policy proposals, update for FT chairs on effective leadership and our oversight of new care models.

Two-year tariff could ‘stabilise’ NHS planning

Proposals to move to a multi-year tariff could help stabilise NHS planning during a difficult period of transformation, the head of the NHS Confederation said on Tuesday (2 August) – but only if they are well implemented.

The proposals – which the national bodies are now consulting on – include four new best practice tariffs, the introduction of new innovation and technology tariff, and changes to local payment rules for mental health.

NHS National Tariff Payment System 2016/17

The NHS National Tariff Payment System 2016/17 has been updated.

Better Ways to Pay for Health Care

Report from the OECD on paying for health care

Payers for health care are pursuing a variety of policies as part of broader efforts to improve the quality and efficiency of care. Payment reform is but one policy tool to improve health system performance that requires supportive measures in place such as policies with well-developed stakeholder involvement, information on quality, clear criteria for tariff setting, and embedding evaluation as part of the policy process. Countries should not, however, underestimate the significant data challenges when looking at price setting processes. Data access and ways to overcome its fragmentation require well-developed infrastructures. Policy efforts highlight a trend towards aligning payer and provider incentives by using evidence-based clinical guidelines and outcomes to inform price setting. There are signs of increasing policy focus on outcomes to inform price setting. These efforts could bring about system-wide effects of using evidence along with a patient-centred focus to improve health care delivery and performance in the long-run.