This document from Monitor.gov.uk summarizes procurement, patient choice, and competition rules for the UK health sector. It outlines Monitor's role in ensuring essential services are maintained, quality and efficiency are promoted, and choice and competition benefit patients. The key points are that commissioners must secure patient needs, improve quality and efficiency, act transparently and treat providers equally, and maintain records showing compliance. Commissioners should also consider how to improve services, ensure integration, and determine if choice of provider or competition could achieve better outcomes for patients.

1. www.monitor.gov.uk
Navigating the
Procurement,
Patient Choice and
Competition Rules
29 April 2014

2. How Monitor supports the health sector
2
Make sure public
providers are well-led
Make sure essential
services are maintained
Make sure NHS
payment system
promotes quality and
efficiency
Make sure choice
and competition
operate in the best
interests of patients
1 2 3 4
Assessment Pricing
Co-operation and
competition
Provider Regulation

3. Procurement, Patient Choice and Competition
Regulations (section 75)
3
Commissioners must
secure the needs of
patients who use
services and improve the
quality and efficiency of
those services
Regulation Two sets out the objective that
commissioners must pursue:

4. Procurement, Patient Choice and Competition
Regulations (section 75)
4
To act transparently and
proportionately, and to
treat providers equally
To procure services from
provider(s) that meet
your objective and
provide best value for
money
To consider ways of
improving services
To maintain a record of
how your contract award
complies with your duty
to act effectively,
efficiently and
economically
Regulation Three sets out the general requirements
that commissioners must comply with:

5. Choice, competition and integration
5
How do you go about improving services?
What can you do to
ensure services are
provided in an
integrated way?
Do or should
patients have a
choice of provider
for any of these
services?
Can you achieve a
better outcome by
enabling providers
to compete?

6. Key points
6
Start with the needs of patients and
work towards a solution
There is no one size fits all approach
to commissioning under these rules
Monitor wants to help people do the
right thing and offers informal advice

7. Key points
7
Start with the needs of patients and
work towards a solution
There is no one size fits all approach
to commissioning under these rules
Monitor wants to help people do the
right thing and offers informal advice

8. Key points
8
Start with the needs of patients and
work towards a solution
There is no one size fits all approach
to commissioning under these rules
Monitor wants to help people do the
right thing and offers informal advice

9. Thank you
9