STPs and Accountable Care Roundup
Hempsons is pleased to bring you the latest in its series of news updates on STPs and accountable care.
1. New ACO contract
Following a period of public consultation on the draft MCP contract framework, NHS England has published the first version of a model contract for accountable care organisations (ACOs) for use by both Multi-Speciality Community Provider (MCPs) and Primary and Acute Care System (PACS) led models in the NHS.
NHS England has published a draft contract and supporting documents as the next step in bringing into force population-based models of care through the commissioning of integrated hospital and community health services from an ACO. As anticipated the contract is set out in the same way as the NHS Standard Service Contract but with a greater focus on long-term population and system outcomes.
Jamie Foster, Partner at Hempsons, comments: “The development of the ACO contract framework is another step forward in the move towards accountable care models across the NHS. It does however remain a work in progress. The guidance is clear that the contract is not intended to be suitable for signature at a local level yet, but can be used by CCGs in the early stages of their procurement processes. And changes to primary care, pensions and partnership arrangement regulations are also likely to be forthcoming to support the contractual framework. Consultation on a final version will follow in due course with the intention that the contract for accountable models will become – like the generic NHS Standard Contract – a model commissioning contract, mandated by NHS England. In the meantime, CCGs and providers should start to consider how they may use this contract as their accountable care models develop.”
Read in full about the new contract here
2. NHS England and NHS Improvement publish long awaited Integrated Support and Assurance Process Guidance
NHS England (NHSE) and NHS Improvement (NHSI) have published the long-awaited Integrated Support and Assurance Process (ISAP) guidance on assuring novel and complex contracts. It builds on the introduction to the ISAP published in November 2016.
This latest guidance provides more detail on the ISAP review process that NHSE and NHSI will undertake when assuring novel and complex contracts, focusing on Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs) and with examples of what good looks like. It will be important for both commissioners and providers to understand how and when ISAP will apply when developing accountable care models.
Read full story here
3. All trusts to buy new IT through NHS ‘exemplars’
NHS England has revealed funding for the next wave of global digital exemplars that will compete to deploy new IT systems to the rest of the NHS. The second tranche of funding will go to STPs to make digital funding decisions locally. Exemplar organisations, which covers providers and will in the future cover health economies, will be put on a new procurement framework where they will work with their IT suppliers to sell digital transformation services to less digitally advanced organisations.
Gill Hall, Partner at Hempsons, comments: “All STPs recognise the importance of technology and digital innovation to the success of their plans. This next tranche of funding recognises the need to incorporate planning for new IT systems into wider system plans. It helps to think about this in parallel to the development of accountable care plans because digital innovation should be at the heart of new care models.”
Read more on the story on the HSJ website
4. CMA approves merger of Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS FT and University Hospital of South Manchester NHS FT
In a landmark decision the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) approved the merger of Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS FT and University Hospital of South Manchester NHS FT. The CMA’s decision is likely to be of high importance in future transactions in understanding its approach to transactions, many of which will be part of STP plans for moving towards accountable care models. Working closely with the trusts’ programme office and the leading competition consultants Aldwych Partners, Hempsons are advising both trusts about competition issues as well as all other legal merger issues.
Read full story here
5. Developing accountable care systems: Lessons from Canterbury, New Zealand
Hempsons’ Integration Resource Centre contains a series of articles and in-depth reports on new care models, integration, STPs and governance.
Have a browse through the available topics and contact us if you have any questions.
Read the full blog and report on The King’s Fund website
6. Accountable Care Resource Centre
Hempsons’ Accountable Care Resource Centre contains a series of articles and in-depth reports on accountable care, integration, STPs and governance.
Have a browse through the available topics and contact us if you have any questions.