What is Specialised Commissioning?

The NHS operates on the basis of services being commissioned by one party from another depending on factors such as facilities, expertise and anticipated patient numbers. The majority of services are commissioned by Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) or, under the latest NHS reforms, at general practice level from a growing range of providers including Hospital Trusts. The bulk of money is spent on conditions affecting large numbers of people, such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes. A significant amount, however, needs to be allocated to more unusual conditions, where services are commissioned from specialised centres serving much larger populations. This is known as specialised commissioning.

Commissioning arrangements for specialised services have recently be reformed and strengthened following an independent Review led by Sir David Carter. The Review of Commissioning Arrangements for Specialised Services (more) (May 2006) has informed the DH guidance, Health Reform in England : Update and Commissioning Framework (more) , published on 13 July 2006.

To ensure the provision of safe, high quality specialised services at identified specialist centres, 10 new Specialised Commissioning Groups (SCGs) have been set up, broadly coterminous with the 10 new Strategic Health Authority (SHA) boundaries. SCGs should have pooled budgets and are responsible for determining the commissioning arrangements for all the services in the National Definition Set.

A new National Specialised Commissioning Group (NSCG) has been formed to co-ordinate specialised services commissioning and make national decisions across SCGs. All SCGs will be required to be a member.

Certain very rare conditions are commissioned by a national body called the National Commissioning Group (NCG) formally known as NSCAG.

SPECIALISED COMMISSIONING GROUPS (SCGs)
Click on the Group's name to visit the website (where available)

1. North West Specialised Commissioning Group
2. South Central Specialised Commissioning Group
3. South East Coast Specialised Commissioning Group
4. West Midlands Specialised Commissioning Group
5. East of England Specialised Commissioning Group
6. Yorks and Humber Specialised Commissioning Group
7. London Specialised Commissioning Group
8. North East Specialised Commissioning Group
9. South West Specialised Commissioning Group
10. East Midlands Specialised Commissioning Group

National Specialised Commissioning Group (NSCG)

National Commissioning Group (NCG)

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