Draft NHS Standard Contract 2020/21: NHS Clinical Commissioners' response

We have formally responded to the NHS England and NHS Improvement Draft NHS Standard Contract Consultation 2020/21. We engaged with members to develop our response and are supportive of a number of the proposed changes to the draft contract, in particular its:

• Supportive mechanisms for system level working
• Inclusion of the national guidance we have co-produced on conditions for which over-the counter items should not routinely be prescribed and items which should not be routinely prescribed
• Inclusion of the national Evidence-Based Interventions Policy

However, we have also raised concerns and asked for further clarification around:

• The implementation of some of the system level working mechanisms i.e. the System Collaboration and Financial Management Agreement
• The redundancy and rehiring proposals for VSMs
• Reinforced our concerns about the draft PCN DES Specifications (as per our specific consultation response)
• The potential contractual requirement to offer a choice to patients at a 26 weeks wait or 18 weeks wait for referral.