Commissioning affects HSJi users in such an important way that as well as its usual presence in trust investigations we’ve made it the sole focus of some recent briefings.

Deputy editor Dave West’s article on mergers begins by recapping on the consolidation last April that saw 191 clinical commissioning groups reduced to 135. He says substantial further consolidation of CCGs is expected in the next 18 months.

In The Reform of NHS Commissioning, Sharon Brennan picks up the theme of systems replacing CCGs, saying the whole country will be covered by integrated care systems by 2021 and it is likely they will be made statutory organisations by April 2022. She looks at the role of ICSs as commissioner, how place-based commissioning will be protected, and how ICSs will be funded. Sharon complements her briefing with one of our on-demand webinars.

Our extensive pandemic coverage is focusing on how the NHS can recover the time lost on non-covid activity. This month, Sharon looked at how the community care landscape has been dramatically altered since the onset of the covid crisis. But she also says various factors could mean community care will finally get the funding and attention it has been deprived of.

Elsewhere, Ben Clover’s briefing on The NHS’s use of Independent Healthcare Providers details the sector’s relationship with the health service before, during and after the pandemic.

Latest investigations

This week the following investigations were updated:

Humber, Coast and Vale ICS

In February, the government published draft plans for the biggest overhaul of NHS legislation in a decade. This will require systems to operate as a single entity. For a system such as HCV with immature relationships this could be challenging.

Black Country and West Birmingham STP

It has long been thought by leaders within the ICS and nationally that the patch has too many smaller district general hospitals. However, plans to move towards formal integration have faced push back from individual trusts, primarily due to a lack of consensus between the four acute trusts on what model of collaboration to choose. However, one shared priority for 2021-22 will be to develop a provider group model.

Isle Of Wight Trust

IOWT has been on a significant journey with the CQC since it was rated inadequate and placed into special measures in 2017. Key challenges picked up by the regulator included poor leadership, major staffing shortages and unsafe mental healthcare.

National briefing: West Country

This briefing sets out the main priorities ahead for each of the five health economies in England’s West country. They are Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Sustainability and Transformation Partnership, Devon STP, Somerset STP, Bristol North Somerset and South Gloucestershire STP and Gloucestershire Integrated Care System.

Data

This week we have updated the following data:

• NHS Improvement oversight ratings of Com, MH, Amb in Q4 2020-21