NHS Specialised Services

Specialised Commissioning from NHS Specialised Services

NHS Specialised Services is the national organisation responsible for the commissioning of specialised services that help improve the lives of children and adults with rare diseases or disorders.

Commissioning in the NHS is the process of ensuring that health services meet the needs of the population. It is complex and includes assessing the needs of the population, selecting health care service providers and ensuring that these services are safe, effective, patient-centred and of high quality.

Although most services in the NHS are currently commissioned by about 150 local Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), there are different arrangements for commissioning specialised services. A specialised service is defined in law as a service which covers a planning population (catchment area) of more than a million people. Each PCT contributes some of its budget to funding specialised services.