NHS CB names commissioning data centres

The NHS Commissioning Board has announced the ‘at scale’ commissioning support units that will supply data validation and integration for clinical commissioning groups and other CSUs.

It has also announced the units that will supply business support and healthcare procurement services in the new commissioning environment.

All nine CSUs that submitted applications to provide business intelligence services have been approved.

These new units – known in context as data management integration centres – will provide data validation, integration and storage for clinical commissioning groups, CSUs and local authorities in regard to their public health role.

Some are collaborations between individual CSUs while others are large stand-alone units.

Five ‘at scale’ providers will deliver both business intelligence and healthcare procurement. These are: the North West collaborative, Greater East Midlands; Central Southern; Best West; and Birmingham, Black Country and Solihull.

A further four providers will supply business intelligence services only. These are: the North East and North Yorkshire and Humber collaborative; South and West Yorkshire collaborative; London collaborative; and South collaborative.

CSUs that applied to provide ‘at scale’ services were assessed by the NHS CB to make sure they would be able to deliver against defined standards, with sustainable, appropriate cost structures and the capacity to deliver across a geographical footprint.

All 23 units are planning on providing business support services which includesinformation management and technology, HR and legal services.

CSUs providing healthcare (clinical) procurement only are: the South collaborative, North East, South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw, Norfolk and Waveney, Essex, North Central and East London, North West London, Surrey and Sussex and Commissioning Support South.

Work is ongoing to finalise the configuration of the fourth ‘at scale’ service – communications and engagement services – and there are likely to be four or five centres. Plans for a national service collapsed over the summer.

• Commissioning support units were initially called commissioning support organisations and then commissioning support services. The NHS CB has said they should now be known as CSUs, in order to distinguish them from the wider commissioning support services market place.