Funding Guidance

Under GP IT Futures, the administration of the contracted GPIT investment has changed. Where budgets and access to services were previously centrally managed, now each CCG receives a fair allocation of budget representing a share of the whole central budget and is free to select funding to support a wide range of products.

We have not however fully delegated budget responsibility, so CCGs will not physically receive the funding allocation, instead; 

• Each CCG 'qualifies' for access to their allocation by meeting the simple criteria below
• Each CCG or Authority Organisation contracts on their own behalf
• Invoices are managed and paid between NHS Digital and DHSC so long as the CCG (as the agent receiving the allocation) remains within the allocation budget
• Where a CCG spends in excess of the allocated budget, or wishes to use separate funding streams for a purchase then they should contract in the usual way, but make separate arrangements for the payment of invoices which will not be managed by NHS Digital.

In order to qualify for receipt of the allocation 

• Each relevant Practice within scope of the funding must have a Foundation Solution in place (an ex GPSoC system which has not yet achieved compliance under GPIT Futures terms will fulfill this condition also during Financial Year 2020/21)
• Each CCG must not be operating under the Continuity Call Off Contract/s signed on their behalf

However as a result of the disruption to normal services associated with the COVID-19, and the constrained operating environment, we have revised the above position in order that you are able of access appropriate funds more quickly and without the burden of Foundation Solution reprocurement immediately.

The funding allocation will be £1.61 per patient for the financial year 20/21.  This is based on the number of Patients Registered at a GP practice as at April 2020 . 

The allocation intentionally exceeds the £1.26 per patient per annum Foundation Catalogue Solution Sets price cap, thus ensuring that Foundation Catalogue Solution Sets can be purchased, and further funding is available for other local priorities.

CCGs will be notified of their allocation for 2020/2021 by the regional directors.   Details of the annual cost of current commitments under the CCOAs will also be provided.  This will therefore indicate if the CCG is likely to have surplus funding available.

The funding allocation will be paid to suppliers on behalf of CCGs, based on the call-off agreements it enters.  You will not physically receive the funding allocation.

If you enter into call-off agreements with a total value that exceeds the funding allocation, the excess will be invoiced by the supplier directly to that CCG.

The CCOAs that have already been agreed on your behalf, will be fully centrally funded for the financial year 2020/2021.

Any indicative overspend will need to be addressed prior to the start of the next financial year otherwise suppliers may need to invoice directly for costs which exceed the allocation from April 2021.

CCGs with a projected surplus can enter new agreements up to the allocation limit for 20/21.

Information relating to the indicative annual cost of Continuity Call Off Agreements (CCOAs) will also be provided.  Please note that the indicative costs represent an annualised cost for services that are either live or awaiting deployment.  Actual costs applied against the allocation will reflect commencement and cessation dates as confirmed by buyers using the order tracker.

The way that GPITF suppliers charge for dispensing capabilities is being reviewed and if a CCG has dispensing practices, we will be in touch to advise on how these costs should be managed.