Compliance with clinical commissioning policies
The ICB also checks providers undertaking these interventions also follow these policies. These checks can take many forms and the main options are:
- Clinical audits;
- Prior Approvals; or
- Individual Funding Requests (IFR).
These compliance processes are determined by the ICB and may change over time to ensure that the administrative processes are as minimalist as possible, while ensuring full compliance with the policy. This is a brief overview of what these compliance processes mean in practice.
Clinical audit
As the name suggests this is an audit done retrospectively to check compliance to the clinical policy criteria for an intervention.
This audit only considers if a patient met the minimum clinical indications to have an intervention. Adherence to the clinical policy, will ensure that patients do not have unnecessary treatments, which may harm them more than the possible benefits of the intervention.
This is often used for well-established interventions, like a Colonoscopy in the management of hereditary colorectal cancer. It is not disputed that the intervention is effective and safe, but it should only be used for patients who will benefit more from this than the risks associated with the intervention.
As part of wider NHS reforms, the boundaries of some Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) changed on 1 April 2026. This resulted in the dissolvement of NHS Frimley ICB. The new configuration required a three-way adjustment to the previous Frimley footprint:
- East Berkshire joined Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West in the creation of the new Thames Valley ICB
- Surrey Heath, Ash and Farnham have aligned to the new Surrey and Sussex ICB; and
- North East Hampshire has aligned to Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB.
For patients registered with a GP in Surrey Heath, Ash or Farnham your lead commissioner is now Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board. Please visit their website for more information on the clinical commissioning policies applicable for your area.
For patients registered with a GP in North East Hampshire (Aldershot, Farnborough, Fleet or Yateley) your lead commissioner is now Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board. Please visit their website for more information on the clinical commissioning policies applicable for your area.