Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received from (a) the British Medical Journal, (b) GP networks, (c) Monitor and (d) other organisations on conflicts of interest in the commissioning of services by clinical commissioning groups.

NHS England updated existing guidance for managing conflicts of interest in December 2014, when NHS England issued revised statutory guidance, which prescribed stronger assurance measures in light of the development of primary care co-commissioning. This came into force from April 2015.

In light of comments from stakeholders and the recent National Audit Office report “Managing conflicts of interest in NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups”, as well as findings from the audit of the management of conflict of interest that was undertaken in the autumn by NHS England’s internal auditors, NHS England is in the process of further updating this statutory guidance.

NHS England has engaged with NHS Clinical Commissioners in respect of conflicts of interest in the commissioning of services by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to positive effect.

It has also engaged with around 80% of the Audit chairs for the CCGs- the feedback and discussion received on behalf of both these groups will feed into the Revised Statutory Guidance which will be published and discussed at the next NHS England board meeting on 31 March. This will launch the official public consultation (which will also take into consideration views from British Medical Journal and Monitor).

The final guidance will then be presented to the May NHS England board meeting and will be published on the NHS England website.