News / Mental health costing call

01 September 2016 Seamus Ward

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Richard FordThe oversight body’s Costing Transformation  Programme aims to introduce patient-level
costing across the whole NHS using a new prescribed costing approach. Draft standards setting out the approach for acute organisations were published in April and these will be followed in January by draft standards for ambulance and mental health bodies.

NHS Improvement is already engaging with three mental health trusts as formal roadmap partners and has a number of costing practitioners supporting the development of the draft standards for the sector. But it is keen to expand this.

NHS Improvement costing director Richard Ford (above, right) said that development of the standards was well under way. ‘However, for the standards to be practical and achievable, we need to ensure we include a cross-section of approaches and methodologies that are as wide as possible,’ he said.

He added that NHS Improvement wanted to build on the HFMA’s work with practitioners to develop the HFMA Mental health clinical costing standards and maintain the momentum for improvement. ‘We’re looking for costing practitioners who have experience in costing mental health services who would be available to contribute to the working papers that underpin standards development,’ Mr Ford said. The working papers will cover the costing process from general ledger to reconciliation to the final accounts.

Work is also continuing on the development of the acute standards. The next draft in January will provide further support in costing for cataract surgery, hip and knee replacements and outpatient attendances. Enhanced costing methodologies will be detailed for theatres, medical staffing, treatment of private finance initiative costs and incomplete patient events.

NHS Improvement is also running monthly webinars until the end of the year to help build costing capability and familiarly with the new standards.

To get involved in standards development, contact [email protected]