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The operating framework for the NHS in England 2008/9

Department of Health

December 2007

The operating framework is published annually and sets out priorities for the NHS for its coming financial year - April 2008/March 2009.

This particular document is significant for MS because of what it has to say about commissioning. The Operating Framework states:

"We expect Specialised Commissioning Groups to create pooled budgets and to commission the majority of specialised services on their patch this year, extending this to all specialised services in 2009/10... In commissioning for world-class health services, SCGs should ay particular attention to areas where significant increases in demand are likely to lead to pressure on services."

Specialised Commissioning Groups are the commissioners responsible for deciding the level of services that should be available for a particular condition across their Strategic Health Authority. Multiple sclerosis, in common with all neuroscience services except stroke, is classed as a specialised service that should be commissioned at Strategic Health Authority level, rather than more locally by PCT commissioners. The same is true of neurorehabilitation and neuropscyhology services.

Therefore, this Framework lays the groundwork for all MS services to be seen - or hidden - at a more strategic level than has always been true in the past.

The full Operating Framework is available from the Department of Health website.