Effective contracting of high-tech health care for patients at home

High-technology treatments such as total parenteral nutrition or intravenous antibiotics may increasingly be provided to patients at home. In the past, these services have been funded by the NHS prescribing budget. The aim of the Department of Health's Executive letter EL(95)5, Purchasing High Tech Healthcare for Patients at Home was to ensure that contracts placed by health authority purchasers maintain effective patient services and obtain better value for money by encouraging competition between potential homecare providers. Examines contracting for high-tech health care for patients at home and suggests that efficiency could be improved when contracting with commercial home-care organizations by lead purchasing arrangements. In the long-term, contracting with NHS tertiary centres is most likely to ensure continuity of care and appropriate clinical monitoring of patients.