Host commissioner information

NHS England and NHS Improvement published Host Commissioner guidance in January 2021. This sets out the responsibilities of the host commissioner. The host commissioner is the ICB in whose geographic patch the specialist mental health inpatient unit which provides care commissioned by ICBs to people with a learning disability, autistic people or both is located. This includes assessment and treatment units, long term rehabilitation units, and other specialist inpatient units.

You can read this NHS England report to learn more about host commissioner guidance for people diagnosed with a learning disability and/or autism.

Our role as host commissioner

  • Be the point of contact for all placing ICBs in relation to quality and patient safety.
  • Keep an oversight of concerns in relation to the provision in Lancashire and South Cumbria.
  • 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 ICBs placing in Lancashire and South Cumbria

  • Talk to us prior to admitting a person into a service in Lancashire and South Cumbria.
  • Commission and oversee the individual’s hospital placement and pathway of care back into the community, undertaking regular commissioning reviews of the individual patient.
  • 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 Lancashire and South Cumbria services.
  • Collaborate with us when we set up collaborative assurance meetings across ICBs. The purpose of these is to share information across stakeholders and work together to support providers to maintain quality, mitigate risk and resolve concerns.

Quality surveillance

NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB has well-established oversight for independent hospitals in our area and this includes:

  • Ongoing and supportive contact to seek assurance about the quality of care delivered.
  • Scheduled yearly and responsive quality visits.
  • Quarterly quality submissions against the ICB quality schedule.
  • Triangulating other intelligence that arises from other sources such as stakeholders, 6/8-week checks, care and treatment reviews etc.
  • Establishing a formal and collaborative assurance process across placing ICBs and other stakeholders where concerns have been identified. 

Reporting safeguarding concerns

We work very closely with our local authority safeguarding partners to share intelligence in respect to allegations of abuse against an adult or child at risk. Should you have any safeguarding concerns or wish to make a safeguarding referral this should be completed to the relevant Local Authority where the alleged abuse has occurred. It is your responsibility as the placing commissioner to make a safeguarding referral. Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB may contact you for further discussions should this be required.

Further information can be accessed via the below links.

Who can I contact if I need further support or information in relation to local safeguarding arrangements?

Please talk to us when you are considering placing a person with a diagnosis of a learning disability and/or autism in the Lancashire and South Cumbria area.

If you intend to admit a person within Lancashire and South Cumbria 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 ICB we will never ask for identifiable information about people you place in our area.

How to tell us about a concern

It’s important that ICBs placing individuals in Lancashire and South Cumbria talk to us about issues relating to quality and patient safety. This will help us triangulate information and address any identified concerns as host commissioner. We also encourage our independent providers to talk to us about concerns that arise. It remains the responsibility of the placing ICB to deal with any concerns as they arise.

You can email us at lscicb.host.commissioner@nhs.net

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