Activity is under way to ensure all services provided by commissioning support units (CSUs), along with all CSU staff, are mapped and destinations clarified, where a function will continue. Governance arrangements are in place across NHS England and the CSUs to oversee the transition of functions and the safe closure of CSUs.

Staff are being supported through this transition. The CSU Leadership Team hold regular all staff briefings where information on the transition and closure of the CSUs is cascaded. The CSUs are actively involving the trade unions. A job hub has been established to support existing CSU staff to find suitable alternative employment opportunities. A voluntary redundancy scheme has been completed within the CSUs that mirrors that within NHS England, and exits are being planned.

As integrated care boards (ICBs) develop their strategic commissioning role and skills, commissioning support functions will be rationalised. This will result in commissioning support units (CSUs) being closed.

Given wider changes in the system, including the larger geographical area of ICBs and the move to a more simplified operating model, for the National Health Service a whole, it is logical to integrate the work undertaken by CSUs into the other organisations that will make up the more streamlined, efficient NHS in future. The closure of CSUs will simplify the landscape and create efficiencies, and will strengthen the strategic commissioning skills in ICBs by giving them the freedom to develop these.

A plan has been developed to ensure all services provided by CSUs and all CSU staff are mapped and destinations clarified, where function will continue, and workshops have been held with NHS England Regions to understand ICB intentions and timelines for the transfer of functions and staff and with the Department and NHS England on functions that may form part of the new Department. Governance arrangements are in place across NHS England and the CSUs to oversee the transition of functions and the safe closure of CSUs.

Staff are being supported through this transition. The CSU Leadership Team hold regular all staff briefings where information on the abolition is cascaded. The CSUs are actively involving the trade unions. A voluntary redundancy scheme has been launched within the CSUs that mirrors that within NHS England. Staff are being actively informed about the scheme through the all-staff briefings.

The Department recognises that the current process of transition for Commissioning Support Units (CSUs) directly impacts staff. NHS England is working to support CSUs as part of the change process, and the Department and NHS England are committed to treating people with the care, respect, and fairness they are owed throughout this process.

The Government is committed to the modernisation of the National Health Service as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, including abolishing CSUs as part of the refocussing of the role of integrated care boards on strategic commissioning. This will help support delivery of the three shifts, from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention, that are needed to build a health service fit for the future.

No formal assessment has yet been made about the number of staff employed in CSUs without allocated work.

The Department recognises that the current process of transition for Commissioning Support Units (CSUs) directly impacts staff. NHS England is working to support CSUs as part of the change process, and the Department and NHS England are committed to treating people with the care, respect, and fairness they are owed throughout this process.

The Government is committed to the modernisation of the National Health Service as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, including abolishing CSUs as part of the refocussing of the role of integrated care boards on strategic commissioning. This will help support delivery of the three shifts, from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention, that are needed to build a health service fit for the future.

No formal assessment has yet been made about the number of staff employed in CSUs without allocated work.

The Department recognises that the current process of transition for Commissioning Support Units (CSUs) directly impacts staff. NHS England is working to support CSUs as part of the change process, and the Department and NHS England are committed to treating people with the care, respect, and fairness they are owed throughout this process.

The Government is committed to the modernisation of the National Health Service as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, including abolishing CSUs as part of the refocussing of the role of integrated care boards on strategic commissioning. This will help support delivery of the three shifts, from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention, that are needed to build a health service fit for the future.

No formal assessment has yet been made about the number of staff employed in CSUs without allocated work.

The decision on whether to make Commissioning Support Units autonomous has been deferred until NHS England has decided how these units can be best positioned to support Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships and the move to develop Accountable Care Systems. They expect to be in a position to consider this later this year.

No formal decision has yet been taken by the Commissioning Committee on the autonomy of Commissioning Support Units.

No formal decision has yet been taken by the Commissioning Committee on the autonomy of Commissioning Support Units.

NHS England’s Commissioning Committee will shortly be asked to review its current policy on Commissioning Support Unit (CSU) autonomy.

Commissioning Support Units (CSUs) were formally established in April 2013. As at December 2015, CSUs paid out £81 million on consultancy support. Total spend has been reducing year on year as CSUs develop their own internal capacity, with 2015/16 to date spend at £8.4 million.

It is not possible to accurately apportion this to specific contracts with NHS England.

It will be for NHS England’s Commissioning Committee to decide, in due course, whether to offer Clinical Support Units (CSUs) who apply to become autonomous, access to working capital and if so, on what terms.

No decision has been made. The proposed change was at the request of Clinical Support Units’ (CSU) Managing Directors - to give greaterflexibility to apply to become autonomous when they are ready, rather than having to work to a fixed timetable. A decision will be taken once NHS England’sCommissioning Committee has met.

As of December 2015, Commissioning Support Units spend on external consultancy for 2015/16 was £8.4 million with a further £1.4 million identified as future known commitments, by the end of the financial year.

Consultancy spend figures are available in NHS England’s annual accounts for 2013/14 which can be found at:

http://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/nhs-comm-board-ann-rep-1314.pdf

2014-15 accounts will be published in due course.

In 2013/14 the total spend by commissioning support units (CSUs) on consultancy support amounted to £41.5 million, which was 5% of CSU total income of £808 million. Data for 2014/15 is not yet available as final accounts are currently being prepared.

During 2013-14 commissioning support units in England earned £602.1 million from clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). We do not collect information centrally on what proportion of income is used in relation to CCGs tendering activity.

No National Health Service commissioning support units (CSUs) are functioning autonomously. All CSUs are currently hosted by NHS England and will move to independent forms by the end of 2016.

Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) can choose where and how they secure their commissioning support requirements. The detail of which CCGs purchase what services from CSUs is not held centrally. However, NHS England has advised that the vast majority of CCGs, but not all, are choosing to source services from NHS CSUs, but this varies significantly across the country. On average, CCGs are spending around £12 per head of population on CSUs, from their £25 per head of population running cost allowance. The spend has, however, increased over the last year as CCGs look to CSUs to support them in developing their short and long term strategic commissioning plans and supporting the transformation of services locally.

The 18 NHS CSUs were set up from the previous system of 152 primary care trusts (PCTs) to offer support services to NHS commissioners—including CCGs and NHS England—established under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. They are not separate statutory bodies and secure the entirety of their income, and hence cover their own running costs, from the support services, such as analysis, contracting, change management and back office functions that they deliver to their customers. They employ around 8,500 staff and generate a total income of £750 million. A breakdown of these figures has not been provided because this information is commercially sensitive and might jeopardise a CSU's commercial position when competing for work from CCGs or other customers. The 18 NHS CSUs will move to independent forms by the end of 2016, at which point they will sit outside of the NHS and their viability will be dependent entirely on the income they source from providing high quality and responsive services to their customers.

Neither the Department nor NHS England hold information centrally on where managerial staff in CSUs have previously worked. However, NHS England advise that the vast majority of staff that deliver services within each of the CSUs have been appointed from previous roles in PCTs and other NHS organisations, ensuring the retention of key commissioning skills and experience.

The total consultancy spend by commissioning support services was £10 million from April 2013 to September 2013. This is the only period for which NHS England has data. Many of the services provided by consultancies

through CSUs are to complement the overall support offer being provided to customers, including CCGs and NHS England.

No National Health Service commissioning support units (CSUs) are functioning autonomously. All CSUs are currently hosted by NHS England and will move to independent forms by the end of 2016.

Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) can choose where and how they secure their commissioning support requirements. The detail of which CCGs purchase what services from CSUs is not held centrally. However, NHS England has advised that the vast majority of CCGs, but not all, are choosing to source services from NHS CSUs, but this varies significantly across the country. On average, CCGs are spending around £12 per head of population on CSUs, from their £25 per head of population running cost allowance. The spend has, however, increased over the last year as CCGs look to CSUs to support them in developing their short and long term strategic commissioning plans and supporting the transformation of services locally.

The 18 NHS CSUs were set up from the previous system of 152 primary care trusts (PCTs) to offer support services to NHS commissioners—including CCGs and NHS England—established under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. They are not separate statutory bodies and secure the entirety of their income, and hence cover their own running costs, from the support services, such as analysis, contracting, change management and back office functions that they deliver to their customers. They employ around 8,500 staff and generate a total income of £750 million. A breakdown of these figures has not been provided because this information is commercially sensitive and might jeopardise a CSU's commercial position when competing for work from CCGs or other customers. The 18 NHS CSUs will move to independent forms by the end of 2016, at which point they will sit outside of the NHS and their viability will be dependent entirely on the income they source from providing high quality and responsive services to their customers.

Neither the Department nor NHS England hold information centrally on where managerial staff in CSUs have previously worked. However, NHS England advise that the vast majority of staff that deliver services within each of the CSUs have been appointed from previous roles in PCTs and other NHS organisations, ensuring the retention of key commissioning skills and experience.

The total consultancy spend by commissioning support services was £10 million from April 2013 to September 2013. This is the only period for which NHS England has data. Many of the services provided by consultancies

through CSUs are to complement the overall support offer being provided to customers, including CCGs and NHS England.

No National Health Service commissioning support units (CSUs) are functioning autonomously. All CSUs are currently hosted by NHS England and will move to independent forms by the end of 2016.

Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) can choose where and how they secure their commissioning support requirements. The detail of which CCGs purchase what services from CSUs is not held centrally. However, NHS England has advised that the vast majority of CCGs, but not all, are choosing to source services from NHS CSUs, but this varies significantly across the country. On average, CCGs are spending around £12 per head of population on CSUs, from their £25 per head of population running cost allowance. The spend has, however, increased over the last year as CCGs look to CSUs to support them in developing their short and long term strategic commissioning plans and supporting the transformation of services locally.

The 18 NHS CSUs were set up from the previous system of 152 primary care trusts (PCTs) to offer support services to NHS commissioners—including CCGs and NHS England—established under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. They are not separate statutory bodies and secure the entirety of their income, and hence cover their own running costs, from the support services, such as analysis, contracting, change management and back office functions that they deliver to their customers. They employ around 8,500 staff and generate a total income of £750 million. A breakdown of these figures has not been provided because this information is commercially sensitive and might jeopardise a CSU's commercial position when competing for work from CCGs or other customers. The 18 NHS CSUs will move to independent forms by the end of 2016, at which point they will sit outside of the NHS and their viability will be dependent entirely on the income they source from providing high quality and responsive services to their customers.

Neither the Department nor NHS England hold information centrally on where managerial staff in CSUs have previously worked. However, NHS England advise that the vast majority of staff that deliver services within each of the CSUs have been appointed from previous roles in PCTs and other NHS organisations, ensuring the retention of key commissioning skills and experience.

The total consultancy spend by commissioning support services was £10 million from April 2013 to September 2013. This is the only period for which NHS England has data. Many of the services provided by consultancies

through CSUs are to complement the overall support offer being provided to customers, including CCGs and NHS England.

No National Health Service commissioning support units (CSUs) are functioning autonomously. All CSUs are currently hosted by NHS England and will move to independent forms by the end of 2016.

Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) can choose where and how they secure their commissioning support requirements. The detail of which CCGs purchase what services from CSUs is not held centrally. However, NHS England has advised that the vast majority of CCGs, but not all, are choosing to source services from NHS CSUs, but this varies significantly across the country. On average, CCGs are spending around £12 per head of population on CSUs, from their £25 per head of population running cost allowance. The spend has, however, increased over the last year as CCGs look to CSUs to support them in developing their short and long term strategic commissioning plans and supporting the transformation of services locally.

The 18 NHS CSUs were set up from the previous system of 152 primary care trusts (PCTs) to offer support services to NHS commissioners—including CCGs and NHS England—established under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. They are not separate statutory bodies and secure the entirety of their income, and hence cover their own running costs, from the support services, such as analysis, contracting, change management and back office functions that they deliver to their customers. They employ around 8,500 staff and generate a total income of £750 million. A breakdown of these figures has not been provided because this information is commercially sensitive and might jeopardise a CSU's commercial position when competing for work from CCGs or other customers. The 18 NHS CSUs will move to independent forms by the end of 2016, at which point they will sit outside of the NHS and their viability will be dependent entirely on the income they source from providing high quality and responsive services to their customers.

Neither the Department nor NHS England hold information centrally on where managerial staff in CSUs have previously worked. However, NHS England advise that the vast majority of staff that deliver services within each of the CSUs have been appointed from previous roles in PCTs and other NHS organisations, ensuring the retention of key commissioning skills and experience.

The total consultancy spend by commissioning support services was £10 million from April 2013 to September 2013. This is the only period for which NHS England has data. Many of the services provided by consultancies

through CSUs are to complement the overall support offer being provided to customers, including CCGs and NHS England.

No National Health Service commissioning support units (CSUs) are functioning autonomously. All CSUs are currently hosted by NHS England and will move to independent forms by the end of 2016.

Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) can choose where and how they secure their commissioning support requirements. The detail of which CCGs purchase what services from CSUs is not held centrally. However, NHS England has advised that the vast majority of CCGs, but not all, are choosing to source services from NHS CSUs, but this varies significantly across the country. On average, CCGs are spending around £12 per head of population on CSUs, from their £25 per head of population running cost allowance. The spend has, however, increased over the last year as CCGs look to CSUs to support them in developing their short and long term strategic commissioning plans and supporting the transformation of services locally.

The 18 NHS CSUs were set up from the previous system of 152 primary care trusts (PCTs) to offer support services to NHS commissioners—including CCGs and NHS England—established under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. They are not separate statutory bodies and secure the entirety of their income, and hence cover their own running costs, from the support services, such as analysis, contracting, change management and back office functions that they deliver to their customers. They employ around 8,500 staff and generate a total income of £750 million. A breakdown of these figures has not been provided because this information is commercially sensitive and might jeopardise a CSU's commercial position when competing for work from CCGs or other customers. The 18 NHS CSUs will move to independent forms by the end of 2016, at which point they will sit outside of the NHS and their viability will be dependent entirely on the income they source from providing high quality and responsive services to their customers.

Neither the Department nor NHS England hold information centrally on where managerial staff in CSUs have previously worked. However, NHS England advise that the vast majority of staff that deliver services within each of the CSUs have been appointed from previous roles in PCTs and other NHS organisations, ensuring the retention of key commissioning skills and experience.

The total consultancy spend by commissioning support services was £10 million from April 2013 to September 2013. This is the only period for which NHS England has data. Many of the services provided by consultancies

through CSUs are to complement the overall support offer being provided to customers, including CCGs and NHS England.