National Commissioning Group (NCG)
New Department of Health funding means the patients with severe OCD or BDD should now find their route to specialist treatment easier to negotiate, with the news in April 2007 that the NSCAG (now called NCG) funding removing the need for prior funding approval from patients own local Primary Care Trust (PCT) no longer necessary.
At present, if a patient with OCD or BDD is referred to one of the specialist centres, then approval must be given by the local PCT before the patient can receive treatment, and this often leads to delays and refusal of treatment for the patient. Most services provided in the NHS are funded by local primary care trusts (PCTs) to meet the needs of their local population through contracts negotiated with GP practices, hospitals and dentists etc.
The National Specialist Commissioning Advisory Group (NSCAG) was set up to advise Department of Health (DH) Ministers on which NHS services are best commissioned nationally, rather than locally, to ensure a high quality of clinical care and equity of access for patients as well as securing value for money. NSCAG transferred to the NHS in April 2007 and is now known as the National Commissioning Group (NCG).
Given that OCD and BDD are closely related conditions, a severe OCD and BDD service was jointly designated and commissioned by the NSCAG (NCG) from 1st April 2007 on behalf of English residents. Scottish residents also have access to the service under an agreement between NSCAG and the National Services Division, Scotland. Health Commission Wales has separate agreements with providers for Welsh residents.
The new service is limited and the designated centres providing the NCG commission treatment will have caps on the amount of patients they can see each year. However, OCD-UK are delighted that those in our community most desperately needing treatment will find their route to treatment easier to navigate, with the red tape of funding now removed.
There are four designated centres proving treatment, these are:
- London - South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (adults and adolescents)
- London - South West London & St George's Mental Health NHS Trust (adults)
- London - The Priory Hospital North London (adults and adolescents)
- St Albans - Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Trust (adults)
Treatment provided by the four centres will be in line with NICE guidance and will be for patients with the very severe OCD, defined as 'Level 6' in the guidance, who have not responded to standard treatments which include at least two previous courses of CBT and currently being debated is the requirement for the patient to have had a course of SSRI medications.
Referral to the new service will be from the patients own local mental health team who will need to make a referral for the patient for NCG funding at one of the four designated centres.
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