Publishing selected transparency metrics - how NHS England compares

"Internal analysis by the Department of Health (DH) looked into how the NHS in
England compares to 10 other countries in publishing selected transparency metrics."

How the NHS in England compares to other countries in publishing selected transparency metrics
Department of Health
July 2015

Read more here.

Prescribed Specialised Services Advisory Group (PSSAG)

"PSSAG is a Department of Health expert committee that was established in 2013 to provide ongoing advice to Ministers on whether services are specialised and should be nationally commissioned by NHS England, rather than locally commissioned by Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs)."

Prescribed Specialised Services Advisory Group (PSSAG): Recommendations to Ministers
Department of Health
March 2015

Read more here.

Commissioning for quality: Views from Commissioners

"This resource seeks to provide support to commissioners in terms of their responsibilities for quality – CCGs and NHS England commissioners."

Access the resource here.

Healthcare UK review of 2013-14 and business plan for 2014-15

"Healthcare UK (comprising Department of Health, NHS England, UK Trade & Investment) now has a strong identity which is recognised by its customers both in the UK and overseas and has helped it to achieve success in its first year of operations."

Healthcare UK review of 2013-14 and business plan for 2014-15
Healthcare UK
August 2014

Read more here.

NHS 111 commissioning standards

"This document sets out the Commissioning Standards for the NHS 111 service in England which has been jointly developed between CCGs and NHS England."

NHS 111 commissioning standards
NHS England
June 2014

Read more here.

The open data era in health and social care

This is "a blueprint for the National Health Service (NHS England) to develop a research and learning programme for the open data era in health and social care."

The open data era in health and social care
S Verhulst, BS Noveck, R Caplan, K Brown, C Paz
NHS England
June 2014

Read more here.

Improving cardiovascular disease commissioning

Public Health England’s National Cardiovascular Intelligence Network (NCVIN) has published Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) focus packs as part of Commissioning for Value, a collaborative project between PHE, NHS Right Care and NHS England.

Find out more here.

Bite-size guides to support patient and public participation

NHS England has developed the following bite-size guides, to support patient and public participation in the NHS:

1. Principles for participation in commissioning 
2. Governance for participation 
3. Planning for participation 
4. Budgeting for participation 

These guides are linked to the Transforming participation in health and social care guidance (September 2013).

Public health functions to be exercised by NHS England

"This agreement sets out outcomes to be achieved and funding provided for NHS England to commission public health services."

NHS public health functions agreement 2014 to 2015: public health functions to be exercised by NHS England
Department of Health, Public Health England
November 2013

Read more here.

Specialised commissioning: policies and policy statements

In its role as the direct commissioner of specialised services, NHS England has published the 8 clinical commissioning policies and policy statements:

1. Stereotactic radiosurgery/radiotherapy for glomus tumours
2. Radiosurgery/radiotherapy for cavernous venous malformations
3. Stereotactic radiosurgery, radiotherapy for ocular melanoma and pituitary adenoma
4. Eculizumab for atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome
5. Rituximab for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus in adults
6. Use of Plerixafor for stem cell mobilisation
7. Stereotactic radiosurgery/radiotherapy for meningioma
8. Stribild for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults

Access them all here.

NHS Standard Contract 2013/14 - guidance on variations process

"This document explains the process for proposing, agreeing and effecting local variations to NHS Standard Contracts, covering both eContracts and paper contracts."

NHS Standard Contract 2013/14 - guidance on variations process
NHS England/Commissioning Development/NHS Standard Contract
July 2013

Read more here.

National Programmes of Care and Clinical Reference Groups

There are 74 Clinical Reference Groups which are clustered around five national Programmes of Care:

1. Internal medicine
2. Cancer and blood
3. Mental health
4. Trauma
5. Women and children.

These which bring together services in functional groupings, and more can be found out here.

Guide to the healthcare system in England

This guide has been written to explain about all the different organisations that "play a key role in making the NHS what it is."

Guide to the healthcare system in England
NHS England
May 2013

Read more here.

Putting patients first

"This document builds on Everyone Counts: Planning for Patients 2013/14, the planning guidance for commissioners. Here, we set out in detail how we will support commissioners to use their valuable public resources to improve quality and secure the best possible outcomes for people."

Putting patients first: the NHS England business plan for 2013/14-2015/16
NHS England
April 2013

Read more here.

NHS England publishes generic commissioning policies

"NHS England has published a number of interim generic policies, ensuring fair and consistent decision-making across its direct commissioning function. The 14 policies cover all aspects of NHS England’s direct commissioning responsibilities including specialised services, primary care, screening, military and offender health."

Access the policies here.

Clinical policies and statements for specialised services commissioning

"These new clinical commissioning policies underpin the commissioning of specialised services. They are important in clearly defining what NHS England expects to be in place for providers to offer evidence-based, safe and effective services and importantly, sets equitable access to services across the country."

Access the clinical commissioning policies here.

Healthcare reform in the NHS England

"This report provides an overview of England’s journey to enacting the Health and Social Care Act 2012 and a summary of the transformed delivery of health services within the NHS England."

Healthcare reform in the NHS England: more lessons for Ontario
The Change Foundation
March 2013

Read more here.