NHS Primary Care Commissioning (PCC) Model Enhanced Services Contracts
NHS PCC published a model eye care enhanced services contract in February 2010.
The contract comes in three variants for:
- Individual practitioners
- Partnerships
- Corporate bodies and limited companies
Unlike the model mandatory and additional services (GOS) contracts published in 2008, use of the model enhanced services contract is entirely voluntary on the part of the PCT but NHS PCC points out that using the model contracts will save PCTs time and money rather than developing local contracts on an individual basis.
PCTs are free to use the contract as it stands or to modify it in any way that the PCT sees fit. PCTs are also free either to keep their existing contracts for enhanced services in their current format or to migrate them to the new model version. NHS PCC points out that some of the numbering of the clauses may seem at first sight to be a little bit eccentric but they have tried as far as possible to keep the clause numbering consistent across all three variants of the enhanced services contract and also consistent with the numbering of clauses, with similar effect, in the model mandatory and additional services contracts.
PCTs will need to add to the model contract their own schedule 3 'Service Specification' which should be locally negotiated and specific to the service type which is being commissioned. NHS PCC has produced a sample schedule 3 from NHS Somerset, based on their ACES (Acute Community Eyecare Service) scheme.
LOCSU has developed a model Service Specification for each of the LOCSU Enhanced Service Pathways. Local and Regional Optical Committee members with a log in to our secure website area will be able to access these here.
For advice on Enhanced Services Contracts please contact info@locsu.co.uk.
The model contracts are available to PCTs in the restricted area of the PCC website: http://www.pcc.nhs.uk/enhanced-services-contract but if LOCs want copies, they can contact Katrina Venerus directly.