Nottinghamshire CCGs mull tender for continuing healthcare support

The group of CCGs cited problems with arrangements for transport for patients, children’s services and supported living providers as reasons for tendering the service, which is currently contracted to Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit. The contract ends at the end of the month although it will roll over until any alternative arrangements are made.

It covers services for Mansfield and Ashfield, Newark and Sherwood, Nottingham North and East, Nottingham West and Rushcliffe CCGs.

A paper presented to Nottingham West CCG’s governing board last month said: “It is felt that the service [the] CCGs are currently in receipt of does not meet these high level standards at this time so a different approach is required. There have been some gaps identified in the current service provision.”

The paper said there “have been no plans developed to address these gaps because GEM CSU [does] not believe that the service commissioned from them includes a clear role in these areas”. The CCGs were considering whether to “run an open procurement process to identify a provider for the clinical aspects of the [continuing healthcare] service whilst retaining the management of the service within the CCGs”.

Nottingham West CCG chief clinical officer Guy Mansford said the groups had not yet decided whether to tender for the work. He said: “CCGs and [Greater East Midlands CSU] continually work together to identify operational issues and to improve the service to patients on an ongoing basis.

“We are confident that the CSU is working to investigate the issues raised in the report as part of their commitment to achieving the best possible standards of care for patients across the county.”