NHS England and NHS Improvement published Host Commissioner guidance in January 2021. This describes a clear expectation that NHS Commissioners (North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board – NENC ICB) maintain effective quality surveillance of all NHS and independent hospitals within the scope of the Host Commissioning guidance within the geographical boundaries of Tees Valley and County Durham.
You can read this NHS England report to learn more about Host Commissioner guidelines for people diagnosed with a Learning Disability and/or Autism.
There are several hospitals in the County Durham and Tees Valley areas. These are provided by both independent sector organisations and the NHS. They support people with a diagnosis of a mental health condition or a diagnosis of a learning disability and/or autism. These hospitals can also care for people placed by different NHS commissioners from outside of the County Durham and Tees Valley area.
At the present time Host Commissioning arrangements are in place for people with a learning disability, autism, or both.
NENC ICB (County Durham & Tees Valley) role as Host Commissioner:
- Maintain quality surveillance of our local independent hospitals.
- Be the point of contact for all placing NHS commissioners in relation to quality assurance queries.
- Collate intelligence and triangulate information to address any quality or safety issues.
- To share and request intelligence across commissioners placing people in our area.
The role of NHS commissioners placing into the County Durham & Tees Valley areas:
- Talk to us prior to admitting a person into a County Durham / Tees Valley inpatient service.
- Retain oversight for the clinical care of people you place in our area and ensure your contingency plans are robust.
- Talk to us about any quality or governance concerns you identify within the County Durham and Tees Valley independent and NHS hospitals.
- Collaborate with us when we set up collaborative assurance meetings across NHS commissioners. The purpose of these is to share information across stakeholders and work together to support independent hospitals to maintain quality, mitigate risk and resolve concerns.
Please talk to us when you are considering placing a person with a diagnosis of a Learning Disability and/or Autism into County Durham or Tees Valley
If you intend to commission an inpatient provision into our geographical area, we invite you to contact us in advance and we will be able to advise you of any current safety or quality concerns. When contacting us please do not include person identifiable information in your emails. As Host Commissioner we will never ask for identifiable information about people you place in our area.
Tell us about a concern
It is important that NHS commissioners placing into County Durham and Tees Valley talk to us about any quality or governance concerns they may identify. This will help us triangulate information and allow us to address your identified concerns as Host Commissioner.
Contact Us
For all contact regarding host assurance arrangements including prospective placements or concerns around existing placements please email us at:
nencicb-cd.hostcommissioner@nhs.net
Reporting safeguarding concerns We work very closely with our Local Authority safeguarding leads to share intelligence about any allegations of abuse or neglect. Should you have any safeguarding concerns or wish to make a safeguarding referral it will be your responsibility as placing commissioner to contact the relevant Local Authority.