One of the most fundamental responsibilities in the NHS is to decide what services will best meet the needs of patients and local communities and ensure high quality outcomes, maximise patient choice and secure efficient use of NHS resources.
Health service and facilities planning is a complex area and HUDU has a range of experience, tools and services which can help to facilitate and support the process – see health facilities and infrastructure planning
Under the new arrangements established by the Health and Social Care Act 2012, responsibilities for commissioning are split between NHS England and local Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).
Under the Act, CCGs must:
- prepare Commissioning Plans and publish and consult on them
- consult with and involve the local Health and Wellbeing Board(s) in their preparation
- include in their plan the Health and Wellbeing Board’s view on whether they consider the plan to have had due regard to the joint health and wellbeing strategy; and
- Commissioning Plans must also have regard to any guidance published by the Health and Wellbeing Board
Commissioning Plans will provide an important opportunity to rethink the way local health services are provided – especially when taken together with other aspects of the new arrangements – such as the responsibilities on Health and Wellbeing Boards to promote integrated working with other care services.