Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to prepare for the transfer of commissioning responsibilities for public health for 0 to five year olds to local authorities.

Overall leadership of the transition of the commissioning responsibilities for public health for 0 to 5 year olds, including health visiting services, is an objective of the Department’s 0 to 5 Public Health Commissioning Transfer Programme Board.

From 1 October 2015, the Government intends that local authorities take over responsibility from NHS England for commissioning of public health services for children aged 0-5. This includes health visiting services and Family Nurse Partnership targeted services for teenage mothers. Local authorities will receive funding for these new responsibilities.

The Department is aiming to set out 0-5 funding allocations later in the year. Work is on-going to determine how much money will transfer and commissioning costs will be considered as part of the overall approach. Funding in future years will be calculated in the light of the Government’s next spending review.

Locally NHS England’s area teams and local authorities are working to develop plans, including timescales, for a smooth and effective transfer of the commissioning role. A programme of regional 0 to 5 years commissioning transfer events is underway, involving key stakeholders to enhance understanding of future working arrangements.