Host commissioner

Host Commissioner guidelines:

People diagnosed with a Learning Disability and/or Autism

NHS England and NHS Improvement published Host Commissioner guidance in January 2021. This describes a clear expectation that as the local Integrated Care Boards (ICB’s) we ensure that we have assurances and maintain effective quality surveillance of all independent hospitals within our geographical boundaries.  There are three Independent Hospitals in Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent supporting people with a diagnosis of a mental health condition or a diagnosis of a learning disability and/or autism. The hospitals are caring for people who have been placed by many different ICB’s into Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent. A list of the hospitals is provided at the end of this page.  Whilst the Host Commissioner guidance relates specifically to the quality of care for people with a diagnosis a Learning Disability and/or Autism at NHS Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent ICB we have decided to extend elements of the oversight described by NHS England to all people placed with Mental Health illness in addition to Learning Disability and/or Autism. 

You can contact us via our Host Commissioner inbox – nstccg.staffsccgsoftintelligence@nhs.net.

 At NHS Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent ICB our role as Host Commissioner is to:

• Maintain quality surveillance of our local Independent Hospitals.
• Be the point of contact for all Placing Commissioners in relation to quality assurance queries.
• Collate intelligence and triangulate information to address any quality or safety issues.
• To share and request intelligence across commissioners placing people in our area.  

The role of ICBs placing in Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent CCG is to:

• Talk to us prior to admitting a person into Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent.
• Retain oversight for the clinical care of people you place in our area and ensure your contingency plans are robust.
• Talk to us about any quality or governance concerns you identify within Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Independent Hospitals.
• Collaborate with us when we set up collaborative assurance meetings across ICBs. The purpose of these is to share information across stakeholders and work together to support Independent Hospitals to maintain quality, mitigate risk and resolve concerns.     

Quality Surveillance

NHS Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent ICB has a well-established oversight for Independent Hospitals in our area and this includes:

• Ongoing and supportive contact to seek assurance about the quality of care delivered.
• Scheduled yearly and responsive quality visits.
• Quarterly quality submissions against the Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent ICB Quality Schedule.
• Triangulating other intelligence that arises from other sources such as stakeholders, 6/8-week checks, Care and Treatment Reviews etc.
• Establishing a formal and collaborative assurance process across placing ICBs and other stakeholders where concerns have been identified. 

Reporting safeguarding concerns

We work very closely with our Local Authority Safeguarding Leads to share intelligence about any allegations of abuse or neglect. Should you have any safeguarding concerns or wish to make a safeguarding referral it will be your responsibility as Placing Commissioner to contact the Local Authority.  Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Safeguarding teams will also contact you directly should a local Safeguarding concern be raised that involves the person you have placed in Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent.

Please talk to us when you are considering placing a person with a diagnosis of a Learning Disability and/or Autism in Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent area.

If you intend to admit a person within Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent we invite you to contact us in advance and we will be able to advise you of any current safety or quality concerns. When contacting us please do not include person identifiable information in your emails. As Host ICB we will never ask for identifiable information about people you place in our area.

How to tell us about a concern

It is important that ICB’s placing in Staffordshire and Stoke on Tent ICB talk to us about any quality or governance concerns they may identify. This will help us triangulate information and also address any identified concerns as Host Commissioner. We also encourage our independent providers to talk to us about concerns that arise.  You can tell us about a concern via nstccg.staffsccgsoftintelligence@nhs.net.

Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Independent Hospitals contacts include:

Moorlands Neurological Centre
Elysium Health care
Lockwood Road, Cheadle, Staffordshire, ST10 4QU
Phone number: 01539 755623

Ballington House
Elysium Health care
Ballington Gardens, Leek, Staffordshire, ST13 5LW
Phone number: 01538 399796

Saint Augustine’s
Cygnet
Cobridge Road, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, ST1 5JP
Phone number: 01782 200860

Ivetsey Bank
Huntercombe
Ivetsey Bank, Wheaton Aston, Staffordshire, ST19 9QT
Phone number: 01785 840000