What we do

Our job is to plan and buy health and care services for the people registered with GP practices in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly. These services include planned hospital care, mental health and learning disability services, urgent and emergency care, children’s health services, community services, NHS 111, a GP out of hours service and some primary care services.

We are part of the wider Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care System. This is a partnership of health and care organisations who will work together to plan and deliver services and improve the health of people who live in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

The NHS system

The NHS system is made up of a lot of organisations.

Commissioning is the process of planning, prioritising and purchasing health services. Different parts of the system are responsible for commissioning different services.

The Think Local Act Personal care and support jargon buster has a directory which explains what commonly used words and phrases in health and social care mean.

Who commissions services in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly?

NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

We commission:

NHS England

NHS England commissions:

  • military and veteran health services
  • health services for people in prison
  • specialised services
  • all dentist services
  • community ophthalmology
  • community pharmacy
  • health visiting

NHS England works with the below to provide and commission a range of public health services:

These include:

  • national immunisation programmes
  • national cancer and non-cancer screening programmes
  • child health information services
  • public health services for adults and children in secure and detained settings in England
  • sexual assault services (sexual assault referral centres)

NHS Property Services

NHS Property Services oversee NHS estates including community hospitals.

Cornwall Council and the Council of the Isles of Scilly

Cornwall Council and the Council of the Isles of Scilly also commission and provide services for the local population.

These include:

  • adult care services
  • children’s community health and social care
  • drug, alcohol and tobacco services
  • food safety
  • mental health promotion and suicide prevention
  • public health
  • sexual health services

NICE guidance

We use guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to help us plan and provide services for patients.

NICE provides independent, authoritative and evidence-based guidance on the most effective ways to:

  • improve the quality of care
  • prevent, diagnose and treat disease and ill health
  • reduce inequalities and variation

NICE develops guidance by working with experts from the NHS, local authorities, and across the public, private and voluntary sectors.

Page last reviewed: 19 October 2023

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