The NHSCB and NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) have agreed that the NHS BSA will provide an employment partnership service for CSU staff during the hosting period up to 2016. The NHSCB will provide oversight and direction to CSUs while the NHS BSA will be the legal employer of CSU staff. This is aimed at seeking some degree of autonomy and independence for CSUs as they move along the path to externalisation by 2016.
The formal arrangements are still being worked through and it is understood will be governed by a memorandum of understanding which makes explicit the roles responsibilities and accountabilities of the NHSCB the CSUs the NHS BSA and the DH.
It is unlikely that there will be any changes to NHS staff terms and conditions for those staff moving from the NHS to CSUs. The national HR transition policy and process will apply to those NHS staff who are transferring to CSUs and Agenda for Change terms and conditions and pay scales will be used by CSUs while hosted by the NHSCB.
The NHSCB has also asked CCGs and CSUs to ensure they are clear about what level of resource is available for commissioning support services by the end of this month to enable both CCGs and CSUs to finalise their staffing structures and recruit in line with the national HR transition process. The NHSCB has indicated to CSUs that there is no model CSU structure but that decisions about organisational structure depend on the requirements of the local health economy and the local strategy for improving health outcomes.