Health and social work services

Tender description

Northumberland CCG has been considering alternative arrangements for the future commissioning of affordable, sustainable quality healthcare, fit to meet the future needs of its communities in line with the Five Year Forward View. After careful consideration, the CCG has concluded that a form of Accountable Care Organisation (ACO) is the right model for Northumberland. The integrated PACS model as set out in the CCG's vanguard submission to NHS England and reflected on its website (see section I.1)) will underpin the ACO. The CCG is working with local healthcare providers and the County Council to refine the scope of the ACO. The ACO will develop and deliver care models and pathways to improve health outcomes for the people of Northumberland, shape sustainable services and move care from the hospital setting (where appropriate). The CCG will contract with a single host organisation for the ACO, but ACO partners will agree relevant proportions of responsibility for ACO system management. The CCG is in the process of finalising the scope and preferred model of the ACO in Northumberland following its successful vanguard bid to NHS England. The CCG will continue to operate as a statutory body responsible for commissioning care. The ACO will have financial responsibility for all core NHS services which the CCG is responsible for commissioning, either by providing or contracting the services or (if appropriate for some elements of the services) through a mechanism by which payments for specific services provided under the NHS ‘payment by results’ system will be administered by and charged to the ACO. Exclusions will be core primary care and services provided through partnership arrangements between the CCG and the local authority, which currently include jointly commissioned services, continuing health care and Better Care Fund service. The services covered by the ACO may be subject to change as the ACO develops.