Lead Provider Update

This week the final stage of the procurement process for the Lead Provider Framework for quality assessing providers of CSS was launched. NHS England has announced the 16 bidders who have made it through to the final assessment stage for a place on the Framework to offer end-to-end commissioning support services.

Due to launch in January 2015 the Lead Provider Framework will provide clinical commissioning groups with a small number of NHS- accredited firms they can use to run their commissioning process.

Nine of the successful bidders for end-to-end support services were commissioning support units (CSUs) and seven were non-NHS organisations that include a mixture of local authorities and private firms.