Commissioning support units

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 radically reforms the way that health care is commissioned in England. As part of these reforms, local public health services will move from the NHS into local authorities.

Commissioning support units (CSUs) are commissioning support services (CSSs) that are being formed from primary care trusts (PCTs).

Managing directors have now been appointed and the structures should be available. CSUs will initially be hosted by the NHS Business Support Agency (BSA); the long term aim being that they will move towards an independent status by 2015, following a model such as social enterprise. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will be free to utilise support from and contract with the CSUs that they wish and there may be further changes when service contracts are renewed.

Approximately 8,000 staff will be transferred into CSUs across England. The BSA is covered by Agenda for Change and is an employer under the NHS pension scheme.

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