Host commissioner arrangements

NHS England and NHS Improvement published Host Commissioner guidance in January 2021.  This sets out the responsibilities of the host commissioner.  The host commissioner is the CCG in whose geographic patch the specialist mental health inpatient unit which provides care commissioned by CCGs to people with a learning disability, autistic people or both is located. This includes assessment and treatment units, long term rehabilitation units, and other specialist inpatient units.

There are six inpatient services in North Central London that may support people with a learning disability and autistic people. The services may also provide support people who have been placed by different Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) into North Central London. A list of the services is provided at the end of this page. 

Further information can be found in the Host Commissioner guidelines for people with a learning disability and autistic people. 

• Be the point of contact for all placing CCGs in relation to quality and patient safety
• Keep an oversight of concerns in relation to the provision in the North Central London
• Collate intelligence and triangulate information to address any quality or safety issues
• To share and request intelligence across commissioners placing people in our area

• Talk to us prior to admitting a person into North Central London
• Commission and oversee the individual’s hospital placement and pathway of care back into the community, undertaking regular commissioning reviews of the individual patient
• Retain oversight for the clinical care of people you place in our area and ensure your contingency plans are robust
• Talk to us about any quality or governance concerns you identify within North Central London services.
• Collaborate with us when we set up collaborative assurance meetings across CCGs. The purpose of these is to share information across stakeholders and work together to support providers to maintain quality, mitigate risk and resolve concerns

It’s important that CCGs placing in North Central London talk to us about issues relating to quality and patient safety. This will help us triangulate information and also address any identified concerns as host commissioner. We also encourage our independent providers to talk to us about concerns that arise.  It remains the responsibility of the placing CCG to deal with any concerns as they arise.

You can email us at nclccg.hostcommissioner@nhs.net

In North Central London we have host commissioning responsibilities for the following inpatient units:

  • Barnet, Enfield & Haringey Mental Health Trust, Chase Farm Hospital
  • Barnet, Enfield & Haringey Mental Health Trust, Edgware Community Hospital
  • Barnet, Enfield & Haringey Mental Health Trust, St Ann’s Hospital
  • Camden & Islington NHS Foundation Trust, Highgate Centre for Mental Health
  • Camden & Islington NHS Foundation Trust, St Pancras Hospital
  • Ellern Mede Centre for Eating Disorders, Mill Hill & High Barnet units