Host commissioner guidelines: People diagnosed with a learning disability and/or autism
In January 2021, NHS England and NHS Improvement published guidelines which set out the host commissioner responsibilities for people diagnosed with a learning disability and/or autism.
In South West London we have specialist inpatient mental health units that are caring for people with a learning disability and/or autism who have been placed there by CCGs from different parts of the country. This includes assessment and treatment, long term rehabilitation, and other specialist inpatient units.
There are four Independent hospitals in South West London supporting people with a diagnosis of a learning disability and/or autism and one NHS trust – South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust. A full list of hospitals is provided at the end of this page.
Our role as host commissioner
- Be the point of contact for all placing CCGs for issues relating to quality and patient safety.
- Keep an oversight of concerns in relation to the provision in South West London.
- Share and request intelligence across commissioners placing people in our area.
- Work in conjunction with local, regional and national Quality Surveillance Group (QSG) arrangements, taking a lead role in co-ordinating the response required if there are serious and / or multiple concerns identified.
The role of CCGs placing patients in South West London
- Talk to us prior to admitting someone into a hospital in South West London.
- Commission and oversee the patient’s hospital placement and pathway of care back into the community, and undertake regular commissioning reviews of the patient.
- Talk to us about issues relating to quality and patient safety you identify within South West London independent hospitals.
- Collaborate with us when we set up collaborative assurance meetings across CCGs. The purpose of these is to share information across stakeholders and work together to support independent hospitals to maintain quality, mitigate risk and resolve concerns.
Reporting safeguarding concerns
We work closely with our local authority safeguarding leads. If you have any safeguarding concerns or need to make a safeguarding referral, please contact the relevant local authority.
Our safeguarding team will contact you should a local safeguarding concern be raised that involves the person you have placed in South West London.
Safeguarding, how to make a referral and local safeguarding contacts
If you intend to admit someone to a mental health hospital in South West London, please contact us in advance so we can advise you of any current safety or quality concerns.
When contacting us please do not include person identifiable information in your emails. We will never ask for identifiable information about people you place in our area.
If you are placing a patient in a mental health unit within South West London, please talk to us about issues relating to quality and patient safety so that we can address any concerns. We also encourage our independent providers to talk to us about concerns that arise. It remains the responsibility of the placing ICB to deal with any concerns as they arise.
Specialist inpatient mental health units in South West London
- In Mind Healthcare, Southleigh Hospital
- In Mind Healthcare, Woodleigh Hospital
- South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, Tolworth Hospital
- South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, Springfield Hospital
- South West London and St. George’s NHS Trust, Burntwood Villas
- South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, Queen Mary’s Hospital
- The Priory, Roehampton*
- The Huntercombe Group, Roehampton*
*(Specialised commissioning lead on relationship management / host commissioner at a corporate level with these providers due to their provision at a number of sites nationally)