Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how his Department assesses the value for money of health service contracts that are tendered by clinical commissioning groups; and if he will make a statement.

Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) should take all possible steps to ensure that they are buying the best services for patients from the best providers available. It remains for commissioners to decide how best to procure services in the interests of their patients while seeking best value for taxpayers.

In October 2016 the Department published guidance on the Public Contract Regulations 2015, which aims to support commissioners in complying with the Public Contract Regulations 2015.

The guidance can be found at the following address:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-contracts-regulations-2015-for-nhs-commissioners