NHS England is proposing changes to the way its Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) operates, in order that it delivers maximum benefit for patients, within the resources available. Clinicians and cancer specialists believe the changes, if adopted, would: improve patient access to the most clinically effective drugs available through the fund; encourage pricing that delivers value […]

NHS England has today published details of its commissioning intentions for specialised services for 2015/16. The document, Commissioning Intentions 2015/16 for Prescribed Specialised Services serves as notice to all providers of specialised services in England of changes and priorities for the coming year for the specialised services to be commissioned by NHS England, as well as […]

Simon Stevens has praised CCGs for the huge progress they’ve made in their first operational year in a speech to the Commissioning Assembly. Addressing CCG leaders and other health professionals he commended them on how far they’d come on engaging with key stakeholders and patient groups and taking their opinions on board when commissioning healthcare […]

Some of the people who rely most on NHS services today get the right to have their care delivered through a personal health budget. It marks an important landmark in NHS England’s vow to get serious about the personalisation of care for people living with long term, disabling or life limiting health conditions. It will […]

NHS England is today welcoming changes to the national GP contract from April 2015. The changes follow agreement between NHS Employers, on behalf of NHS England, and the BMA’s General Practitioners Committee (GPC). Dame Barbara Hakin, National Director for Commissioning Operations at NHS England, said: “Having been a GP, I know how central primary care […]

Simon Stevens today stressed the importance of frontline nursing in the community as the NHS moves into a new era. Speaking at the Queen’s Nursing Institute annual conference in London, NHS England’s Chief Executive called on nurses to demonstrate their innovation and leadership as part of the way to solve many of the challenges facing […]

Simon Stevens, NHS Chief Executive, will today (Monday 29 September) launch a £650,000 prize pot to reward innovation in the NHS. The NHS Innovation Challenge Prize encourages, celebrates and rewards innovation driven by the frontline doctors, nurses and NHS staff who deliver care every day.  The 2014/15 NHS Innovation Challenge Prizes, worth £650,000, will be […]

We are pleased to announce that Richard Jeavons will be joining NHS England as our new Director of Specialised Commissioning. Richard will establish the new national specialised commissioning function that has been proposed as part of the Organisational Alignment and Capability Programme. This involves consolidating all existing national specialised commissioning staff in one directorate with […]

The board meeting was broadcast live as part of our commitment to make information as accessible as possible. You can view separate recordings of each agenda item below: Items 1 to 3 Item 4 Item 5 Item 6 Items 7 to 9 Board papers View the agenda and board papers

Cancer patients are increasingly positive about their care with 89% rating it as excellent or very good, a national survey shows. This comes as the NHS is treating more patients for cancer than ever before. The national cancer patient experience survey 2014, published today, asked over 110,000 cancer patients across the country for their views on […]