Eight London CCGs are planning to move their commissioning support functions in house according to the Health Service Journal (HSJ). Currently the North West London CCGs (Brent, Ealing, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, and Hammersmith and Fulham) commission support services from North West London CSU. However they are reviewing bringing this function in house with their governing bodies. The findings are due to be published at the end of April (HSJ reports). If the CCGs' business case is approved this could see three- quarters of business and staff transfer to the CCGs.
This move is likely to cause concern for other CSUs fearing that other CCGs may follow the North West London example. This is certainly possible - CCGs covering large populations which can offer them the economies of scale to host their own commissioning support services should they wish to do so. We may therefore see other CCGs reviewing their commissioning support options. Such a development would risk a destabilising effect on the commissioning support market which NHS England has been cultivating to date.