Publication of MCP policy documents and draft contracts

Published 13 January 2017

NHS England has now published a number of policy documents in relation to the Multi-Specialty Community Provider new care model, as envisaged in the NHS Five Year Forward View. Also available is a suite of draft contract documents to be used by CCGs in implementing MCP models. NHS England are asking for feedback on these documents by Friday 20 January. The documents can be found here.

The successful implementation of the MCP models (of which there are three set out in the MCP policy documentation) is predicated on a number of changes to legislation, for example, the ability for primary care GMS and PMS contractors to be able to suspend their contracts and join the new care model. Further policy documentation (including detailed examples of financial modelling involving whole population payment models) and iterations of the draft contract are expected to be published shortly.

The latest publication includes the following documents:

• MCP Contract (contract between the commissioner and the MCP for a basket of out of hospital, community and primary care services and paid for using a whole population budget). This is a significant step in a move towards place based commissioning and a tool that will be needed to fully implement the vision set out in the Five Year Forward View.
• Alliance Agreement for ‘virtual’ MCPs (where existing service contracts remain in place, but are ‘wrapped up’ by the Alliance Agreement).
• Integration Agreement (contract between the MCP and GP practices where the GPs do not suspend their primary care arrangements).
• A paper explaining the potential participation of GPs in the MCP model and what this means for general practice and alignment with the GP Forward View.
• Procurement and assurance policy paper, explaining the key steps that may be required in any procurement process for an MCP.
• Pensions paper.
• Financial strategy (a brief paper on how the whole population budgets will operate and an ‘improvement payment’ scheme, similar to CQUINs and in replacement of QOF (where core primary medical services are in scope of the MCP)).

These documents should be read alongside the Policy Framework for MCPs and the Integrated Support and Assurance Process for novel and complex contracts which has been developed by NHS England and NHS Improvement in part as a response to the failure of the Uniting Care Contract. The detailed ISAP is expected to be published shortly.

This publication is a significant policy step towards the implementation of the MCP model, which many CCG commissioners are working towards. We are advising a number of CCGs who are looking to commission an MCP model in the future on the full range of legal, strategic and commercial issues, from procurement obligations and strategies to navigating organisational form issues. If you would like to speak to one of our experienced team then please contact Charlotte Burnett or Hamza Drabu.