Landmark integration contract shelved after NHS England intervention

Dudley Clinical Commissioning group was due to transfer £360m worth of services to a newly fashioned NHS trust in April after five years of planning.

However, several senior sources said NHS England intervened earlier this month, telling the commissioner and providers involved to pause the transfer and carry out further work on the clinical models. HSJ understands no date has been given for when work can recommence.

The bulk of the services due to transfer to the new trust are currently provided by Dudley Group Foundation Trust, the local acute provider, where 80 senior medics had called for commissioners to pause the “irresponsible” plans in August last year.

The CCG declined to pause the project and pushed ahead with the contract at that point, although the plans always appeared uncertain amid the ongoing pandemic.

The proposed new trust, Dudley Integrated Health and Care Trust, was due to be formed from the shell of a former mental health trust and does not have any substantive directors.

Under the CCG’s plans, it was designed to hold a single contract for primary care, community health, community mental health, and some public health services.

The plan to procure and award the single contract was first launched in 2015-16 but has suffered several delays.

Such plans may be affected by the health reform bill which the government proposes to put forward this spring, one measure which could enable it to create new NHS trusts for this purpose. 

Dudley CCG was approached for comment.

NHS England did not respond to HSJ’s questions over whether it had permanently stopped the ICP contract and whether DIHCT had been given the green light to recruit to executive posts.

However it said in a statement, “we continue to work with all partners to assure the Dudley Integrated Care Partnership proposal and ensure it can deliver the best possible health outcomes for the Dudley population.”

Dudley CCG also failed to respond to HSJ’s questions but said in a statement on behalf of DGFT, Dudley Integrated Health and Care Trust and Black Country Healthcare FT: “As a system we are all completely committed to continue working with NHSI colleagues, and will ensure that all staff remain engaged on progress and development. Dudley Integrated Health and Care NHS Trust will continue to run the services which have already transferred.” 

This story was updated at 12:29 after HSJ received a statement from Dudley CCG.