Correspondence

Independent provider bulletin: August 2015

Published 28 August 2015

Applies to England

1. For action

1.1 Help shape the 2016/17 national tariff proposals

We’d like your views on our proposals for the 2016/17 tariff:

• currency design and relative prices (until midday 14 September)
• national variations and locally determined prices (until midday 21 September)

We’ll also be sharing our proposals for the efficiency factor, cost base and service development after the spending review.

Your feedback will be important in helping to shape the final proposals, which will be subject to statutory consultation.

1.2 Is your organisation undertaking a transaction?

If your organisation is contemplating a transaction (such as a merger, acquisition or other restructuring arrangement) then please consider its possible impact on your NHS provider licence.

Each provider of NHS-funded healthcare services is required to hold a licence unless they are exempt, so please consider the following:

• will licensing exemptions apply to existing licence holders at the point of the transaction?
• will any new provider organisations (or providers who were previously exempt) now require a licence as a result of the transaction?

If your organisation is considering a merger or acquisition, email licensing@monitor.gov.uk at an early stage for advice on the licensing implications of the transaction in a timely manner.

1.3 Do you have a view on the commissioning of services in North East London?

Last month we launched an investigation into how Barking and Dagenham, Redbridge, Havering, and Waltham Forest Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) selected Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust to operate the North East London NHS Treatment Centre, following a complaint by Care UK Clinical Services Ltd.

We are examining whether the CCGs’ arrangements to select a provider of these services were in the best interests of patients.

If you have information or views in response to the background to the complaint or the issues that we intend to investigate, please email these to nelelectiveservices@monitor.gov.uk by 5pm, Friday 11 September 2015.

We intend to publish all submissions received - if yours contains anything that you do not wish to be published, please state which information is confidential and why.

2. For information

2.1 Transactions involving new care models

The Five Year Forward View identified the urgent need for new models of care that can be replicated easily across the NHS. In light of this, we anticipate foundation trusts will be contemplating an increasing number and variety of transactions associated with new care models over the coming years.

Our aim is to support, as much as we can, organisations at the forefront of implementing new care models that work well for patients. Nonetheless, we need to recognise that many of the associated transactions are likely to be inherently risky because:

• they are unlikely to have been tested as they are by definition innovative
• they may involve complex/new legal structures
• they may involve the provision of services outside a foundation trust’s normal areas of business

In order to balance these potential risks against the need to support rapid change, we are modifying our regulatory approach to transactions involving new care models so as to maximise the chances of success whilst minimising any disruption to trusts of our regulatory process. We aim to do this by identifying risks early and tailoring a streamlined work programme proportionate to the risks faced in each case, as outlined in our guidance.

In the long run, we anticipate this approach will help providers and Monitor share knowledge of common risks faced in the introduction of new care models and how best to mitigate them, ultimately accelerating the implementation of sound new models.

2.2 A 3-part payment approach to support urgent and emergency care networks

We have published a new payment example for urgent and emergency care (UEC), as part of our series of local payment examples that support the rapid shift to new care models.

A 3-part payment is a single, consistent payment approach that has the potential to drive greater collaboration between all of the services within a UEC network.

It has been specifically designed to support commissioners and providers to establish networks by:

• reflecting the ‘always-on’ nature of UEC services
• aligning incentives across the UEC network

If you’re exploring the use of a 3-part, or alternative, payment approach for UEC, we’d like to hear about your experiences. Email us at pricing@monitor.gov.uk.

2.3 GPs working together: 3 commissioning risks to manage

Commissioners frequently ask us if the rules around choice and competition prevent them from encouraging GPs to work together and with hospitals, and from awarding contracts to GP federations.

If your organisation works with local GP federations, read our latest blog post to find out more about what providers and commissioners can do to manage possible risks.

2.4 Final decision published on investigation into NEW Devon CCG

We found that Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group has not breached NHS commissioning regulations in selecting Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust as its preferred provider of community services for adults with complex care needs in East Devon.

The commissioner took into account patient needs and the service improvements it requires and designed a process to select a provider from the available options. However, the CCG now needs to do more work to ensure that it will get value for money before awarding the contract.

3. Events and webinars

Webinars: watch again

Watch these webinars to find out more about the processes involved in setting the national tariff including details that help to inform the proposals for the 2016/17 national tariff:

3.1 Price modelling - from reference costs to tariff prices

Who is it for?

Acute providers only:

• finance directors/managers
• clinicians
• costing specialists
• service managers

Why watch?

Find out how the annual reference costs submitted are changed into tariff prices.

We explain:

• how we calculate tariff prices
• look at what steps we take to clean the data
• outline the review process

Please note that this will not include information on tariffs currently in development – it is an overview of the current process.

Register now for the ‘Price modelling’ webinar.

3.2 Best practice tariffs explained

Who is it for?

Acute providers only:

• finance directors/managers
• clinicians

Why watch?

Hear from Monitor and NHS England on best practice tariffs.

We explain:

• the basic principles of best practice tariffs including how they are constructed and how they operate
• the rationale for amending the methods of price calculation for 2016/17

Register now for the ‘Best practice tariff’ webinar.

3.3 Health and Care Innovation Expo 2015

2-3 September 2015, Manchester

Who is it for?

Leaders of NHS providers and clinical commissioning groups.

Why attend?

Less than one week to go until Expo 2015, an event that brings together change agents from health and care, the voluntary sector and local government.

Monitor, NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA) and NHS Providers are running dedicated sessions for providers, which include:

Session title	What will be discussed?	Who is speaking?
Enabling new care models – locally led, nationally supported	Hear about the support available to support new care models and to ensure their replicability. Organisations already in the vanguard will share their experiences and innovations.	Paul Dinkin (Programme Director on the New Care Models Team, and Provider Sustainability Director, Monitor) and Ralph Coulbeck (Director of Strategy, NHS TDA).
What is the success regime and how will it affect you?	Discuss the success regime and how together we aim to provide a systematic approach to tackling entrenched issues across health and care, in particular across local health economies.	Adam Sewell-Jones (Director of Provider Sustainability, Monitor), Ralph Coulbeck (Director of Strategy, NHS TDA), Saffron Cordery (Director of Policy and Strategy, NHS Providers).
Developing cultures to deliver value	Looking at the leadership capabilities needed to deliver on the ambitions of the Five Year Forward View. A focus on enabling change from within by developing cultures that support staff to deliver value, and the importance of strong local leadership in actively engaging staff and patients in the redesign and transformation of healthcare.	Suzie Bailey (Development Director, Monitor) and Jo Vigor (Senior Development Advisor, Monitor).

Visit us and the TDA on stand 96 to talk to us about our work.

We are also running 2 sessions for commissioners, in the pop up university, looking at managing conflicts of interest, and involving patients in commissioning community services. Book your place now.

4. External updates

4.1 Be Clear on Cancer campaign

The next Be Clear on Cancer national campaign has been announced and will run during March and April 2016.

The reminder campaign for ‘Blood in Pee’ as a symptom of bladder and kidney cancers is being re-launched after the success of previous campaigns which have promoted awareness.

Over the next few months you will hear more about the campaign and you can follow further announcements on the Cancer Research UK website.

For more information, or if you have any queries, email BeClearonCancer@nhsiq.nhs.uk.

5. Getting in touch

5.1 Questions or feedback

If you have any questions about the information in this bulletin, please email licensing@monitor.gov.uk.

5.2 News alerts

You can subscribe to Monitor’s news update service which is a convenient way for you to receive relevant information direct to your inbox.

5.3 Publications

All of our publications for independent providers are available to download from our website.

5.4 Our latest job opportunities

For more information or to apply, please visit our recruitment website joinmonitor.com.