Archive of: December, 2014

• Alliance responds to tariff proposals for 2015/16

  December 2014

  The SHCA is alarmed by NHS England and Monitor’s current proposals to introduce marginal pricing of 50% for specialised services above historic baseline levels. In particular, we are concerned that this will effectively ration access to treatment, especially for the most complex and prospectively expensive patients. This effect seems likely to be exacerbated by the matching payment for activity below historic levels. Paying trusts for doing nothing also contradicts the 5 Year Forward View’s commitment to concentrate patient volumes at specialised providers with the best outcomes.

  The Alliance has requested a copy of NHS England’s impact assessment as part of its response, which can be read in full here: SHCA Response to Tariff Consultation – Dec 2014

• Fixing or ditching specialised commissioning - SHCA presentation at Britain Against Cancer

  December 2014

  ‘Is NHS England seeking to fix or ditch specialised commissioning?’

  The Director of the Specialised Healthcare Alliance today spoke at the Britain Against Cancer conference on the above question in relation to NHS England’s proposals to co-commission specialised services with Clinical Commissioning Groups.

  The slides used during the presentation can be found here: SHCA – Is NHS England seeking to fix or ditch specialised commissioning?

  For further updates on this issue, follow the SHCA on Twitter @theSHCA.

• Report of SHCA Holyrood Reception

  December 2014

  On 12th November 2014, the Specialised Healthcare Alliance held a reception in the Scottish Parliament to discuss services for people with rare and complex conditions across Scotland.

  The event was kindly sponsored by Annabel Goldie MSP and featured speeches by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Alex Neil MSP, as well as Deirdre Evans from the Scottish National Services Division and Patricia Osborne, Chief Executive of the Brittle Bone Society.

  The report of the event, along with the findings of a pre-event mini survey, can be found here:

  SHCA Holyrood Event Report – 20141112