Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the abolition of Commissioning Support Units on (a) staffing levels and (b) management capacity within NHS England.

The Department recognises that the current process of transition for Commissioning Support Units (CSUs) directly impacts staff. NHS England is working to support CSUs as part of the change process, and the Department and NHS England are committed to treating people with the care, respect, and fairness they are owed throughout this process.

The Government is committed to the modernisation of the National Health Service as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, including abolishing CSUs as part of the refocussing of the role of integrated care boards on strategic commissioning. This will help support delivery of the three shifts, from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention, that are needed to build a health service fit for the future.

No formal assessment has yet been made about the number of staff employed in CSUs without allocated work.