The South West Clinical Senate provides commissioners of health and care services with a source of independent clinical advice to help them to make the best possible decisions about health and care provision in the South West. Since September 2014 the 12 clinical senates across England have taken on the review of clinical evidence for major service change proposals, a role formerly delivered by the National Clinical Assurance Team (NCAT).
As a significant service change proposal is developed and refined, commissioners must ensure it undergoes a rigorous self-assessment to comply with the Department of Health’s four tests for service change:
- strong public and patient engagement;
- consistency with current and prospective need for patient choice;
- a clear clinical evidence base; and
- support for proposals from clinical commissioners.
The Clinical Senate is set up to provide independent clinical review and assurance against test 3 - a clear clinical evidence base and offers two types of review:
- Early Advice – ‘read and review’ to provide a strategic sense check prior to options being developed for a service change.
- Clinical review – a clinical panel which may carry out site-visits, review service change documentation and meet with service providers to advise on the robustness of the clinical evidence base. This is a recommended part of the NHS England stage 2 assurance check point that gives the go ahead for service change proceeding to public consultation.
Senate review panels are made up of senior clinicians and patient representatives who volunteer their time and expertise. Four full clinical reviews have been successfully completed in the region to date:
- Community rehabilitation, reablement and recovery services model implementation for South Gloucestershire CCG
- Complex Spinal Surgery Referral Pathways at North Bristol NHS Trust and Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust
- South Devon and Torbay CCG Community Services Transformation
- NEW Devon Clinical Commissioning Group’s Proposals to Changes to Community Beds
To find out more about clinical reviews or to access clinical advice from the Senate please go to the South West Senate website www.swsenate.nhs.uk or contact the Senate Manager, Ellie Devine on 07918368421 [email protected]
