NHS England has today published details of its commissioning intentions for specialised services for 2014/15 and 2015/16. The document, Prescribed Specialised Services Commissioning Intentions 2014/15-2015/16, serves as notice to all providers of specialised services in England, and will be supported by other, more technical guidance, which will outline clearly which specialised services will be commissioned by NHS England, and which are the responsibility of Clinical Commissioning Groups. These additional documents, most notably the Manual and Information Rules, will be published shortly.

The Commissioning Intentions provide a basis for robust engagement between NHS England’s area teams and providers of specialised services, and are intended to drive improved outcomes for patients, and transform the design and delivery of care, within the resources available.