The NHS Operational Planning Contracting Guidance proposes changes to business case planning to help providers to develop their business cases and to streamline the approvals process for submitted cases.
The DHSC/NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE/I) Better Business Case training packaging is to be rolled out across the NHS. A portion of a scheme's funding will also be granted earlier in the business case process - so prior to full business case approval - where a convincing case can be made for the benefit of this.
Between six and 12 months will be saved by plans to streamline the approvals process by using alternative bid documentation in place of a Strategic Outline Case where organisations have bid for central funding through a competitive process. This will be subject to completion of the current pilot. An approach will also be formalised to allow the department and NHSE/I to triage cases that need extra support, perhaps due to high complexity or local sensitivity, or those that can be fast-tracked due to smaller scale/complexity.
A single investment committee process, with representation from DHSC and NHSE/I, will be created for consideration of major schemes to reduce the number of central approval layers.
Other stories related to the 2020/21 NHS Operational Planning Guidance can be found here:
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