News / CSU seeks alternatives as CCGs unveil plans

25 April 2014

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By Seamus Ward



A commissioning support unit has pulled out of the lead provider framework after many of its clinical commissioning group clients decided to bring some services in-house.

Central Eastern Commissioning Support Unit said it had received clarification from CCGs of their plans for extending their service level agreements from October.

While all CCGs have indicated they wish to continue to buy some commissioning support services from the CSU, the majority intend to take at least some services in-house from October onwards.

CSU managing director David Stout said the body’s income grew by more than £2m in its first year of operation. It had intended to apply for a place on the framework as a stand-alone CSU, supported by putting in place partnerships with Central Southern CSU and KPMG. But now it faced the transfer of its services to other CSUs.

‘We have now concluded that the CCGs’ plans put our lead provider framework application at risk,’ he said. ‘While we will remain financially viable, the reduction in our overall income up to 2016 will weaken the lead provider framework assessment of our medium- to long-term financial prospects.

‘We will also be left without critical mass for some key services, which will make our service improvement plans difficult to deliver.’

The CSU was not confident its application would be successful, so it had decided not to proceed.

Mr Stout said the CSU would continue to operate in its current form until the end of September, but was seeking alternative means of supplying services to customers from October.

The CSU is working with Central Southern CSU – with a view to its offering services to CCGs and other customers in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Luton – and with North and East London CSU to offer services to customers in Essex. 

A managed transfer of services would take place over the next six months with plans due to be finalised by next month.

‘This will be a complex process with uncertainties for our staff,’ added Mr Stout.

‘However, we think this is the best way forward to ensure that CCGs and other customers will continue to be able to access high quality commissioning support services in the medium to long term.’