Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to monitor the (a) effectiveness and (b) compliance of complex community and mental health contracts.

Mental health services, including in the community, are commissioned by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). It is for CCGs, supported by Commissioning Support Units, to decide which organisations they commission community mental health services from and to decide the detailed local content of their contracts with those providers (including service specifications and local quality standards).

CCGs are responsible for monitoring the performance of each provider, in terms of safety, quality, outcomes and value for money. NHS England does not hold a register of all the healthcare contracts entered into by CCGs or monitor them.