NHS Specialised Services

Advisory Group for National Specialised Services (AGNSS)

About 60 highly specialised services are commissioned nationally by the National Specialised Commissioning Team.

The Advisory Group for National Specialised Services (AGNSS) is a committee that advises health Ministers on which services should be nationally commissioned and the centres that should provide them.

Given the small number of patients or procedures involved and the very high level of clinical expertise required to provide such treatments, most nationally commissioned services are provided in a very small number of centres, usually no more than three or four. These centres of excellence are designated to provide national services. In order to ensure continued levels of excellence, the National Specialised Commissioning Team undertakes a renewal of designation process on each service, usually every five years.

The Advisory Group for National Specialised Services (AGNSS) was established following the consultation Strengthening National Commissioning. Its role is to advise Ministers on:

• which highly specialised services, products and health technologies should be, or no longer be, nationally commissioned;
• which centres should be designated as providers for nationally specialised commissioned services and whether to renew or withdraw the designation at the appropriate time; and
• the annual budget for new and existing nationally commissioned specialised services and the contribution required from Primary Care Trusts (PCTs).

AGNSS also supports the work of the NHS Specialised Services in developing the national specialised commissioning strategy and provides expert input to Ministers – including clinical advice – on national specialised commissioning.

AGNSS has endorsed a work plan for national specialised commissioning for 2011/12:

National Specialised Commissioning Group Work Plan 2012

National Specialised Commissioning Priorities 2011/12

AGNSS Agendas and Minutes