WIREDGOV

Update on Monitor investigation into cancer services in Greater Manchester

The sector regulator opened its investigation in August 2013, following complaints by University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust and Stockport NHS Foundation Trust.

The two hospitals claimed that NHS England and its predecessor in the North West of England adopted a process for selecting future providers of cancer services that was not based on quality of services, patient outcomes or patient preferences.

After examining the evidence received to date, Monitor has decided the investigation should concentrate on:

Compliance with the Procurement, Patient Choice and Competition Regulations which came into force on 1st April 2013
Compliance with the competition condition in the NHS provider licence for foundation trusts (and equivalent obligations for NHS trusts).
Whether the process put in place by NHS England to select future providers was consistent with the rules.
Whether the involvement of providers in this process was consistent with the rules.
Catherine Davies, Monitor's Director of Co-operation and Competition said: "We have thought carefully about the matters raised by both complainants and used our prioritisation criteria to decide how best to use our resources in continuing this investigation in the interest of patients.

"We are today publishing a statement of issues that provides an update on our investigation so far, and welcome views from interested parties and others about our proposed way forward."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

For further information please contact the Press Office on press.office@monitor.gov.uk or 020 3747 0800
Monitor is the sector regulator of NHS-funded health care services. Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 its main duty is to protect and promote the interests of people who use them. Information about Monitor’s role can be found here.
Follow Monitor on Twitter @MonitorUpdate