The range of options available to primary care trusts for the future provision of their community services has not been reduced. In February 2010 the Department published Transforming Community Services: The assurance and approvals process for PCT-provided community service which set out a range of options for primary care trusts (PCTs) to consider. The guidance explained that there is no prescribed form(s) and that proposals will be judged on their merits through a nationally defined assurance process.
The guidance makes clear, however, that in relation to Community Foundation Trusts the Department expects relatively few proposals to be sufficiently developed to meet the assurance tests and be deliverable within the required timeframe. Similarly, the Department expects relatively few proposals for continued direct provision to meet the assurance requirements sufficiently, by demonstrating that they are partnered with strong commissioning and will not detract from the PCTs core role as a commissioner.
Transforming Community Services: The assurance and approvals process for PCT-provided community service has already been placed in the Library and is available at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_112147