Resources for scrutiny
The NHS Commissioning Board and local commissioners must be provided with the infrastructure and the support necessary to enable a proper scrutiny of its providers' services, based on sound commissioning contracts, while ensuring providers remain responsible and accountable for the services they provide.
- NHS England provides support to ICBs through regional teams, including quality assurance, financial oversight, and performance management. The System Oversight Framework (SOF) provides the mechanism through which NHS England monitors and supports ICBs and their providers (NHS System Oversight Framework, NHS England).
- ICBs have the legal power to commission services and enter into contracts with providers. The NHS Standard Contract provides a comprehensive template for commissioning contracts, including quality schedules, performance monitoring requirements, and information requirements. ICBs can access specialist commissioning support through NHS England's regional teams and through collaborative commissioning arrangements with other ICBs (NHS Standard Contract, NHS England).
- NHS England published guidance on ICB governance and accountability, setting out expectations for the infrastructure, staffing, and expertise required for effective commissioning. ICBs must publish annual reports including assessments of the quality of services they commission (NHS England ICB governance guidance).
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedThe government published "Hard Truths: the Journey to Putting Patients First" (Cm 8777) on 19 November 2013, responding to all 290 recommendations of the Francis Report. This followed an initial response "Patients First and Foremost" in March 2013. Key reforms included a new Chief Inspector of Hospitals, strengthened Care Quality Commission inspection regime, a statutory duty of candour, and the fit and proper person test for NHS directors. Volume 2 (Cm 8754) contains the government's detailed responses to each of the 290 recommendations. See: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7cd486ed915d63cc65d167/34658_Cm_8777_Vol_1_accessible.pdf
Published Evidence
Published assessments of progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Source type badge indicates whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
Research published 2023 marking ten years since the Francis Report found mixed results. Structural and legislative changes largely delivered (duty of candour, FPPR, CQC overhaul, revalidation, Freedom to Speak Up Guardians). However, cultural change not fully embedded; understaffing, fear of speaking up, and poor complaint handling persist in parts of the NHS.
Clinical Commissioning Groups replaced by 42 Integrated Care Boards from 1 July 2022 under Health and Care Act 2022. ICBs have broader responsibilities for population health, bringing together NHS organisations, local authorities and partners. Implements some Francis recommendations on commissioning integration.
Government published "Culture Change in the NHS" (Cm 9009) reporting progress on all 290 recommendations. Key achievements: 19 hospitals placed in special measures; those trusts recruited 109 additional doctors and 1,805 additional nurses; 129 board-level changes made; excess avoidable deaths fell by 450 in less than a year.
Government published "Hard Truths: The Journey to Putting Patients First" (Cm 8777) in two volumes. Vol 1 set out new actions; Vol 2 provided detailed response to each of the 290 recommendations. Approximately 204 of 290 recommendations were fully accepted.