The government is considering whether to keep the funding for a major new clinic project from 2020 in favour of one of the two major projects in the NHS in the next three years.
The government has been under pressure to hold off on the NHS clinic project, which is to be funded by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) and the health service in England (HSE), while the NHS is running a major clinical trial.
The HSCIC has already said it will not be able to carry out the first phase of the trial.
In a letter sent to the prime minister on Tuesday, the HSCICT said: “The Department of Health (DH) has received the DHs report on the Clinical Trials Strategy for the Health Service in England, which recommends that funding for the HSE and HSCic projects should be maintained for at least three years, starting from the date of the DH report.”
The letter added: “It is essential that the NHS continues to operate in a cost effective manner.”
The NHS clinics are to be run by the private company, HSE, but it is understood the government wants to avoid the cost of operating the clinics to the taxpayer.
In his letter to Mr Cameron, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the government was considering whether funding for one of these two projects should continue.
The letter said: The government will continue to support the HSHCIC and the HSSIC in delivering the Phase 2 clinical trial of the new HSE Clinical Research Network.
However, the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) will continue supporting the HSA for Phase 3 clinical trial and the government will also continue to provide funding to the Hscic for Phase 2.
“The HSSICS will run a trial in the first two years of its five-year contract, with an initial funding of £8 million.
The DH said the HSWIC was also a key element of the government’s strategy.
“The HSC and HSHI are the two largest private providers of NHS clinical research services in England and we are committed to supporting the two clinical research networks in their roles in ensuring the NHS can deliver the best health service possible for patients, clinicians and the wider health system.” “
In a statement, a Department of Healthcare and Social Services spokesperson said: NHS funding is determined on the basis of patient outcomes, including outcomes for the most vulnerable patients. “
The HSC and HSHI are the two largest private providers of NHS clinical research services in England and we are committed to supporting the two clinical research networks in their roles in ensuring the NHS can deliver the best health service possible for patients, clinicians and the wider health system.”
In a statement, a Department of Healthcare and Social Services spokesperson said: NHS funding is determined on the basis of patient outcomes, including outcomes for the most vulnerable patients.
In 2018, the DH announced a reduction of the HSI funding by £1.2m and the Department for Health announced that it would stop funding the HSLI by 2018.
