NHS operational planning and contracting guidance

2023/24 priorities and operational planning guidance

The 2023/24 priorities and operational planning guidance reconfirms the ongoing need to recover our core services and improve productivity, making progress in delivering the key NHS Long Term Plan ambitions and continuing to transform the NHS for the future.

2023/24 priorities and operational planning guidance
Elective recovery fund technical guidance
Revenue finance and contracting guidance for 2023/24
NHS financial framework: Integrated care board and system finance business rules
Capital guidance for 2023-24

Guidance on developing the joint forward plan

The guidance on developing the joint forward plan supports integrated care boards, their partner NHS trusts and foundation trusts to develop their first five-year joint forward plans with system partners.

Guidance on developing the joint forward plan

Other useful links

Previous planning guidance

2022/23 priorities and operational planning guidance

October 2021 – March 2022 (H2)

Guidance published in March 2021

Third phase of NHS response to COVID-19 (Published July 2020)

NHS Operational Planning and Contracting Guidance 2020/21 (suspended March 2020 in response to COVID-19 pandemic)

NHS Operational Planning and Contracting Guidance 2019/20

NHS Operational Planning and Contracting 2019/20: annexes

NHS Standard Contract – The NHS Standard Contract is mandated by NHS England for use by commissioners for all contracts for healthcare services other than primary care. The Contract (in full-length and shorter-form versions) has now been updated for 2019/20.

Section 3 of the Operational Planning Guidance included work on the Evidence Based Interventions Programme which CCGs are required to implement. Further information is available in the Evidence-Based Interventions: Response to the public consultation and next steps document.

Section 3.6 refers to the independent review of the CCG’s achievement of the Mental Health Investment Standard. The document “Assurance Engagement of the Mental Health Investment Standard – briefing for Clinical Commissioning Groups” gives further information. See also the frequently asked questions for independent review of Mental Health Investment Standard (MHIS) for 19/20.

Refreshing NHS Plans for 2018/19

Technical Guidance for Refreshing NHS Plans for 2018/19

Operational Planning and Contracting Guidance for 2017-2019

NHS Shared Planning Guidance 2016/17-2020/21

NHS Shared Planning Guidance 2015/16

NHS Shared Planning Guidance 2014/15-2018/19

Guidance on the cash and capital regime for 2020/21