Corporate report

Arm's length bodies

Updated 6 June 2013

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

This corporate report was withdrawn on 7 July 2014

Please see the current corporate plan

Applies to England

1. NHS England

1.1 Chief Executive: Sir David Nicholson

1.2 What we do

NHS England will ensure that the money spent on NHS services delivers the best possible care for patients. We will also promote the NHS Constitution and the values and commitments contained within it. We will fund Clinical Commissioning Groups to commission services for their communities and ensure that they do this effectively. NHS England will also commission some services nationally where this is most efficient. Working with leading health specialists, we will bring together expertise to ensure national standards are consistently in place across the country. We are committed to giving public and patients the opportunity to work collaboratively with professionals, shaping the future of the NHS together.

NHS England is a Non-Departmental Public Body, accountable to the Secretary of State for Health through its Mandate, which sets the improvements in health outcomes the NHS is expected to deliver.

• our customers: through the support of Clinical Commissioning Groups and direct commissioning activities, we aim to improve the outcomes and user experience for patients
• number of employees: approximately 6,000 staff
• head office: Leeds
• senior departmental sponsor: Richard Douglas

1.3 The Mandate

The first Mandate from the Government to NHS England, setting out the ambitions for the health service for the next two years, was published in December 2012.

The NHS Outcomes Framework and the NHS Mandate set out the objectives and requirements for NHS England and this sets the strategic framework within which NHS England will discharge its responsibilities. The NHS Mandate is structured around five key areas where the Government expects NHS England to make improvements over 2013–14:

• preventing people from dying prematurely
• enhancing quality of life for people with long-term conditions
• helping people to recover from episodes of ill health or following injury
• ensuring that people have a positive experience of care
• treating and caring for people in a safe environment and protecting them from avoidable harm

1.4 How NHS England is helping improve the health and care system

NHS England priorities for 2013–14

NHS England 11-Point Scorecard: Underpinning the move to a new system where quality is at the heart of everything, we have 11 core priorities (including the objectives set out in the mandate), that we will use to measure progress:

1. satisfied patients – we will establish the Friends & Family test for patients, updated and published monthly
2. motivated, positive NHS staff – we will establish the Friends & Family test for NHS staff
3. Outcomes Framework (Domain 1) – preventing people from dying prematurely
4. Outcomes Framework (Domain 2) – enhancing quality of life for people with long term conditions
5. Outcomes Framework (Domain 3) – helping people to recover from episodes of ill health or following injury
6. Outcomes Framework (Domain 4) – ensuring that people have a positive experience of care
7. Outcomes Framework (Domain 5) – treating and caring for people in a safe environment; and protecting them from avoidable harm
8. equality and tackling inequalities – we will analyse outcomes framework indicators and patient and staff feedback by geographic area and deprivation, socio-economic group, age, ethnicity, religion or belief, gender, disability, sexual orientation where data are available
9. NHS Constitution rights and pledges – Direct Commissioning and support and assurance of CCGs processes will ensure continued delivery of the NHS Constitution rights and pledges. We will carry out work to embed the NHS Constitution in everything we do
10. becoming an excellent organisation – we will work to ensure the staff of NHS England understand their roles, are properly supported and are well motivated. We will seek comprehensive 360 degree feedback from local and national partners
11. high quality financial management – living within our means whilst delivering our priorities

2. Monitor

2.1 Chief Executive: David Bennett

2.2 What we do

Monitor is becoming the sector regulator of all providers of NHS-funded services. Our unique role will be to promote value for money in the provision of healthcare for the benefit of patients, whilst maintaining or improving quality. We will do this by:

• regulating NHS prices (working with the NHS England)
• protecting patient choice and addressing anticompetitive behaviour which acts against patients’ interests
• helping to secure continuity of services where necessary

We will also need to act in a way that supports integration of services. A key tool in all of this will be our licensing regime, which will allow us to set and enforce licence conditions in order to protect and promote patients’ interests.

We will involve patients and the public in our decisions as appropriate, in order to become a truly patient-focused sector regulator.

• our customers (Partners): Department of Health, all providers of NHS services, Care Quality Commission
• number of employees: 150 FTE at present head office: London
• senior departmental sponsor: Richard Douglas

2.3 How Monitor is helping improve the health and care system

Our priorities for 2013–14:

Monitor’s current focus is on three key tasks:

1. organisational: building the capability and new relationships needed for it to fulfil its remit successfully
2. strategic: developing a strategic direction for Monitor that will make a difference to the healthcare system and work with partners to contribute to wider system aims
3. operational: continue to develop and successfully implement Monitor’s new responsibilities
4. we will publish a draft strategy after the publication of the government’s response to the Francis report. The strategy will set out our proposed aims, goals and actions for 2013/14

2.4 What we achieved in 2012–13:

1. built the capability and capacity to deliver an effective licensing regime from 1st April 2013 following extensive consultation with stakeholders
2. integrated the Competition and Choice Panel into Monitor in readiness for 1st April 2013
3. developed the strategy and capability to support price setting from April 2013–14 following large scale engagement with partners
4. built the capability and capacity to ensure effective commencement of the continuity of services regime
5. developing a Choice and Competition Framework jointly with NHS England

3. NHS Trust Development Authority

3.1 Chief Executive: David Flory

3.2 What we do

The NHS Trust Development Authority (NHS TDA) will support NHS trusts to improve so that most can take advantage of the benefits of foundation trust status when they are ready, either on their own, by combining with another trust, or through some other organisational change. We will oversee and support improvement in NHS trusts to secure sustainable, high quality services for the patients and communities they serve.

• our customers: NHS patients, the public and staff; NHS Trusts Number of employees: 220 approx
• head office: London
• senior departmental sponsor: Richard Douglas

3.3 How NHS TDA is helping improve the health and care system

Our priorities for 2013–14:

1. improving quality for NHS Trusts to meet basic standards and deliver agreed CQUIN schemes in full
2. delivering for patients: NHS Trusts will be expected to meet all the NHS Constitution performance standards ensuring contracts delivered in full
3. improving sustainability: all NHS Trusts to show an improvement trajectory for surpluses and financials risk rating for 2013–14 linked to their Long Term Financial Model
4. establishing a credible and flexible organisation with the capacity and capability to support NHS Trusts and hold them to account

Our milestones for 2013–14:

1. January – April 2013: Review and sign off of NHS Trust plans
2. April 2013: Publication of TDA Accountability Framework for NHS Trusts
3. from April 2013: Take on full powers to oversee, develop and support improvement in NHS Trusts to secure sustainable, high quality services for local communities

3.4 What we achieved in 2012–13:

1. designed the NHS Trust Development as an organisation and recruitment to build capacity
2. took over appointment of NHS Trust Chairs, Non Executive Directors and trustees of NHS Charities to strengthen governance
3. started supporting the application of NHS Trusts to be authorised by Monitor to become foundation trusts
4. started recommending mergers and acquisitions between NHS Trusts and other trusts to enable sustainability of local services

4. Care Quality Commission

4.1 Chief Executive: David Behan

4.2 What we do

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care providers in England.

We ensure that only providers who have made a legal declaration meet the ‘essential standards of quality and safety’ and satisfy the registration process are allowed to provide care. Once services are registered, CQC monitor and inspect them against these essential standards.

We act quickly in response to any concerns and take swift enforcement action where services are failing people. All acute, community, mental health, ambulance, dental and adult social care providers are already registered with CQC. From 1 April 2013, all primary medical care providers, including GP practices, will be registered with the CQC.

Increasingly CQC will identify and highlight what works well in the services it inspects. This will facilitate the sharing of useful intelligence about what works well and motivate providers to continuously improve. We will draw on its unique sources of evidence and intelligence to become a more authoritative voice on the state of care.

• our customers: providers of regulated health and adult social care, service users, the public
• number of employees: 2,200
• head office: London
• senior departmental sponsor: Richard Douglas

4.3 How CQC is helping improve the health and care system

Our priorities for 2013–14:

1. better use of information, evidence and inspection
2. better working with our partners
3. better relationships with the public
4. building relationships with those we regulate
5. strengthening delivery of our mental health functions
6. building a high performing organisation

Our milestones for 2013–14:

1. improve oversight of regulated services, appointing Chief Inspectors
2. improve safety and quality in acute hospitals, mental health and other trusts
3. identify, predict and respond to varying standards of care more quickly
4. improve how people are cared for when they move between different services
5. work better with other regulators and partners
6. publish better information for the public, including an overall rating of a service
7. a more rigorous test for organisations applying to provide care services
8. begin to develop and evolve our organisation

4.4 What we achieved in 2012–13:

1. developed a new three year strategy for CQC informed by extensive consultation (launched 25 April)
2. increased our inspections of providers of health and social care – 92% of our programme complete at 10 March (25,00 inspections), with more than 33,000 inspections undertaken in total
3. registered more than 7,500 primary medical care providers ahead of April 2013
4. delivered key actions required from the external reviews of CQC and embedded in the scrutiny review action plan from the Scrutiny Review Action Plan

5. National Institute for Health Care Excellence

5.1 Chief Executive: Sir Andrew Dillon

5.2 What we do

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides guidance, standards and information to help health, public health and social care professionals deliver the best possible care based on the best available evidence.

We take into account the views of everyone affected by our work, including patients, carers and the public, as well as health and social care professionals, NHS organisations, industry and local government.

• our customers: People working in the NHS, public health and social care, the public, patients, service users and carers, organisations inside and beyond the public sector, local government, industry and academic partners
• number of employees: 585 WTE
• head office: London and Manchester
• senior departmental sponsor: Richard Douglas

5.3 How NICE is helping improve the health and care system

Our priorities for 2013–14:

1. product quality – delivering high quality guidance, standards and evidence, precisely aligned to the needs of users
2. system partnerships – working effectively with organisations, inside and beyond the public sector, which contribute to the development and use of our products; and with the broader public who benefit from our work
3. adoption and Impact – providing practical tools and other support for individuals and organisations, to help them use our services 4.resource management – using staff and our other resources efficiently and effectively

Our milestones for 2013–14:

1. launch the social care guidance and quality standards programme; publish up to 130 pieces of guidance and 30 quality standards; publish an interim process and methods guide for highly specialised technologies for people with very rare conditions
2. identify a set of key business relationships for each of the main national agencies; deliver a set of local government public health briefings; extend existing relationships with social care organisations
3. set out the digital strategy for NICE which includes building on new digital solutions for authoring, presenting and disseminating our guidance and other products, including third party syndication
4. operate within the Institute’s resource and cash limits and deliver a balanced budget; develop a plan, for harmonising methods and processes across the guidelines-producing programmes and begin the integration process

5.4 What we achieved in 2012–13:

1. delivered 87 pieces of guidance and 11 quality standards, and their supporting material
2. launched a new range of products to support prescribers, including new evidence summaries on the use of unlicensed and off-label medicines in situations where there is no licensed alternative
3. ensured optimal digital access to guidance and other products, through NHS Evidence, NICE website and through mobile apps
4. completed the pilot for the development of social care standards and put the systems and capacity in place including a new NICE Collaborating Centre for Social Care, in preparation for steady state operation from April 2013

6. Public Health England

6.1 Chief Executive: Duncan Selbie

6.2 What we do

Public Health England (PHE) will protect and improve the nation’s health and wellbeing and work to reduce inequalities. We will provide national leadership and expert services to support locally-led initiatives and to respond to health protection emergencies, working alongside local government, the NHS and other key partners.

We will support the development of the public health workforce, jointly appointing local authority directors of public health, supporting excellence in public health practice and providing a national voice for the profession.

• our customers: DH, Other Government Departments, Local Authorities, NHS England
• number of employees: TBC
• head office: London
• senior departmental sponsor: Felicity Harvey

6.3 How PHE is helping improve the health and care system

Our priorities for 2013–14:

1. promoting Secretary of State’s preventable mortality priority
2. promoting healthy life expectancy
3. protecting the population from threats to health
4. promoting healthy families
5. promoting health and wellbeing at work

Our milestones for 2013–14:

1. by April, provide online comparable data on mortality rates and causes, and progressively increase the functionality of the website
2. ensuring health checks roll-out in Local Authorities is on trajectory
3. support the introduction of planned new vaccine programmes to time
4. support delivery of Health Visitor and Family Nurse Partnership programme

7. Health & Social Care Information Centre

7.1 Chief Executive (interim): Alan Perkins

7.2 What we do

The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) collects, analyses and publishes national data and statistical information as well as delivering the national IT systems and services to support the health and care system.

• our customers: Many organisations across health, public health, social care, academic and research communities, commercial organisations, as well as members of the public.
• number of employees: approx 2200
• head office: Leeds
• senior departmental sponsor: Charlie Massey

7.3 How HSCIC is helping improve the health and care system

Our priorities for 2013–14:

1. fulfil our statutory requirements
2. deliver the national information systems and services required by our customers
3. implement the new arrangements for commissioning information services
4. support the strategic review of the informatics “inheritance” for future commissioning plans

Our milestones for 2013–14:

1. support all of our customers in the delivery of their strategic objectives
2. manage the procurement and introduction of new services including NHSmail, N3, Spine
3. consolidate our position as the national source of health and social care indicators and statistics
4. stimulate greater use of our data, services and products

7.4 What we achieved in 2012–13:

1. delivered the following national IT systems and services
   • Spine
   • N3
   • NHSmail
   • Choose and Book
   • Electronic Prescription Service
   • Secondary Uses Service
   • Summary Care Records
   • GP2GP
   • Personal Demographics Service
   • Quality Management and Analysis System
2. supported the design and publication of key national indicators and statistics.
3. published 700 datasets under the Open Data agenda
4. successfully managed the transition to the new HSCIC

8. Health Education England

8.1 Chief Executive: Ian Cumming

8.2 What we do

Health Education England (HEE) is the new national leadership organisation for ensuring that the education, training and development of the healthcare workforce supports the highest quality public health and patient outcomes.

We will lead the new system to support employers and professionals in addressing important workforce challenges, so that the right numbers of staff with the right skills are available at the right time.

• our customers: patients and service users
• number of employees: 104 (HEE only), 1,745 (inc LETB’s)
• head office: Blenheim House, Leeds
• senior departmental sponsor: Charlie Massey

8.3 How HEE is helping improve the health and care system

Our priorities for 2013–14:

1. deliver the strategic priorities set out in the HEE ‘mandate’
2. develop effective relationships with stakeholders
3. ensure that Education and Training across the NHS and public health is fully aligned with the five domains of the Education Outcomes Framework
4. develop and establish the new governance and advisory structures for workforce development across the NHS and public health

8.4 What we achieved in 2012–13:

1. established Health Education England
2. managed the transition to the new workforce architecture
3. completed the authorisation process for Local Education and Training Boards
4. identified and consulted on key strategic priorities for 2013–14 and published these in ‘Introducing HEE: our strategic intent’

9. NHS Health Research Authority

9.1 Chief Executive: Dr Janet Wisely

9.2 What we do

The Health Research Authority protects and promotes the interests of patients and the public in health research. We protect patients from unethical research while enabling patients to benefit from participating in research by simplifying processes for ethical research.

Our role in working with others to streamline health research approvals and to promote consistent, proportionate standards is intended to reduce the regulatory burden on researchers.

• our customers: Research Community (UK) including researchers, sponsors, participants
• number of employees: 143 (Headcount) 127 (WTE) projected Q4 2013/14
• head office: London, Skipton House
• senior departmental sponsor: Professor Dame Sally Davies

9.3 How HRA is helping improve the health and care system

Our priorities for 2013–14:

1. maintain and develop effective governance and leadership for the HRA
2. make it easier to do good quality ethical research in the UK
3. raise the profile and build the reputation of the HRA
4. achieve financial balance and deliver efficiency savings targets

Our milestones for 2013–14:

1. implement the HRA Engagement Strategy
2. implement UK wide Projects through the Collaboration & Development Steering Group
3. procure and develop a new generation of Integrated Research Application System
4. take responsibility for the National Information Governance Board (NIGB) and the Over‑Volunteering Protection System What we achieved in 2012–13: (TOPS)

9.4 What we achieved in 2012–13:

1. established the HRA; having a fully appointed Board and governance structure and completing the transfer/appointment of staff
2. national Research Ethics Service operated at a high level of service delivery reviewing 4,983 applications of which 1,010 were through the proportionate review service.
3. completed closures and mergers of Research Ethics Committees and closed two REC Centres
4. established a UK wide Collaboration & Development Steering Group
5. achieved financial balance, engaged with and developed the DH led Shared Service Programme and delivered efficiency targets

10. NHS Blood and Transplant

10.1 Chief Executive: Lynda Hamlyn

10.2 What we do

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for the supply of blood, organs, tissues and stem cells. We manage the voluntary donation and processing of around 2 million units of blood a year. In 2011 we received 3,500 organ and 4,000 tissue donations and banked 2,200 cord blood units, turning these precious donations into products that can be used safely for the benefit of patients.

• our customers: NHS Hospitals, UK Health Services
• number of employees: 6,000 (headcount)
• head office: Watford
• senior departmental sponsor: Felicity Harvey

10.3 How NHSBT is helping improve the health and care system

Our priorities for 2013–14:

1. provide a safe, dependable and cost effective supply of blood
2. achieve 50% growth in deceased organ donation and a new strategy for organ donation and transplantation beyond 2013
3. develop new models for the integrated management of stocks with hospitals and new models for delivery of transfusion services
4. deliver high quality and cost effective Specialist Services on a national basis and support the development of new therapies for NHS patients

Our milestones for 2013–14:

1. further reduction in red cell prices to £122/unit with stock levels always in excess of 3 days and no major regulatory non conformances
2. 50% increase in deceased organ donation achieved
3. new strategy published by July 2013
4. Completion of pilots for integrated stock management and publish new strategies in support of transfusion services

10.4 What we achieved in 2012–13:

1. reduction of red cell prices to £123/unit (versus £140/unit in 2007–8) whilst simultaneously improving safety, stock availability and regulatory performance
2. significant progress against the target to increase deceased organ donation by 50% by 2013 (at 46% in January 2013)
3. introduction of new strategies that build on our unique capabilities in tissues, stem cells and other services to support the provision of life changing treatments to NHS patients
4. ongoing delivery of a financial surplus

11. Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

11.1 Chief Executive: Professor Sir Kent Woods

11.2 What we do

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) protects and improves the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices underpinned by science and research.

We are responsible for the regulation of medicines and medical devices and equipment used in healthcare and the investigation of harmful incidents.

We look after blood and blood products, working with UK blood services, healthcare providers, and other relevant organisations to improve blood quality and safety.

We hold the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), the English NHS observational data and interventional research service.

Through the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), we promote international standards and harmonisation in biological medicines.

We actively seek to engage the public and patients in our work and activities and in the decisions that we make.

• our customers: Pharmaceutical and devices industries, healthcare professionals and the public
• number of employees: approx 1300
• head office: London
• senior departmental sponsor: Felicity Harvey

11.3 How MHRA is helping improve the health and care system

Our priorities for 2013–14:

1. to realise the full benefits from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) and the merger with the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC)
2. to build partnerships to ensure product performance information informs and influences clinical practice in the interests of patients
3. to contribute effectively to the Government’s Life Sciences strategy
4. to continue the drive to ensure our regulation is both effective in protecting public health and proportionate and efficient in the demands it makes on those we regulate

Our milestones for 2013–14:

1. to effectively negotiate (clinical trials, medical devices) and implement (falsified medicines) key European Regulations and Directives
2. contribute to the Life Sciences Strategy including developing proposals for an earlier access scheme and taking forward an Adaptive Licensing pilot
3. work towards continual improvement in device and medicines vigilance including integrated IT systems and analysis
4. take forward complementary Regulatory Excellence and Operational Excellence programmes to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of our regulation and the way we deliver our services

11.4 What we achieved in 2012–13:

1. launched the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) – a world class e-health secure research service
2. prepared for merger with the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC)
3. responded to the Red Tape Challenge with a targeted list of efficiencies and simplifications and completed a major project to consolidate medicines legislation
4. combated counterfeits – Operation Pangea V seized over £6.5m worth of counterfeit and unlicensed medicines and closed over 18,000 illegal online pharmacies worldwide, a significant number of fake devices were also seized

12. NHS Business Services Authority

12.1 Chief Executive: Nick Scholte

12.2 What we do

The NHS Business Services Authority provides a range of critical business support services to NHS organisations, NHS contractors, patients and the public. Our services include payments to community pharmacists and dentists for their NHS work, the administration of the NHS pension scheme, the management of NHS Supply Chain, as well as a range of other important services. In total we are responsible for circa £30bn of transactions and provide related information to the wider NHS.

• our customers: DH,NHS organisations & staff, Patients& public Community Pharmacists, Dental contractors
• number of employees: 2261
• head office: Stella House, Newcastle
• senior departmental sponsor: Richard Douglas

12.3 How NHS BSA is helping improve the health and care system

Our priorities for 2013–14:

1. Ensuring that we meet and exceed our customer service standards and operational delivery targets
2. Delivering policy change requirements on behalf of policy clients
3. Implementing our transformation agenda to deliver service excellence and improved value for money, through an enhanced customer focus and partnerships with private sector providers

Our milestones for 2013–14:

1. achievement against our scorecard of KPI’s and financial targets
2. implementation of client change initiatives, including Total Rewards Statements and Pharmacy Early Payments
3. agreement/sign off of our transformational and sourcing strategies
4. agreed implementation plan for the new ‘Hutton’ compliant pension scheme arrangements

12.4 What we achieved in 2012–13:

1. we delivered against our key operational and financial targets for 2012–13 including improved processing accuracy across all of our services
2. we ensured safe transition of all of our core payments and processing services to the new NHS landscape
3. we designed and implemented hosting and HR shared services solutions in support of the DH and NHS England
4. we implemented revised policies in key service areas (e.g. NHS bursaries)

13. NHS Litigation Authority

13.1 Chief Executive: Catherine Dixon

13.2 What we do

The NHS Litigation Authority handles negligence claims, improves risk management practices and helps the NHS learn lessons from claims to improve patient and staff safety. We provide advice to the NHS on human rights and equality issues. We have a role in primary care to resolve disputes between commissioners and providers. From 1 April 2013, the National Clinical Assessment Service (NCAS) will become an operating division of the NHS LA.

• our customers: Healthcare providers and commissioners
• number of employees: 247
• head office: London
• senior departmental sponsor: Richard Douglas

13.3 How NHSLA is helping improve the health and care system

Our priorities for 2013–14:

1. operational effectiveness and valuing our people: ensuring that the services offered to NHS LA members and customers represents value for money by ensuring that people have the right tools, support and development to provide excellent services
2. improving patient and staff safety through Learning and Effective Incentivisation: ensure that the NHS, providers of NHS care and other stakeholders are given information which assists and promotes the learning of lessons from claims, with a view to reducing claims, thereby improving patient and staff safety.
3. strategic National Clinical Assessment Standards (NCAS): The successful integration of c into the NHS LA as an operating division; and a transformed NCAS service that not only fulfils its statutory obligations, but is also self funding, thereby offering value for money

Our milestones for 2013–14:

1. the launch of our Extranet, a key communication and information sharing tool with our members, and other stakeholders
2. revise our standards and assessment process to make it outcome focused, aligned to the wider patient and staff safety agenda, avoid duplication and be proportionate to risk
3. enhancing our learning from claims to help reduce harm
4. embed a performance management culture
5. integration of NCAS as an operating division and movement towards a self funding model

13.4 What we achieved in 2012–13:

1. revision of our contribution methodology to ensure contributions paid better reflect organisational risk and smooth members’ costs over time
2. significantly improved communications with members through meetings, consultations and surveys, as well as the launch of our new website
3. started to revise our approach for risk management standards and assessment, whilst we carried out an extensive piece of research
4. significantly developed an approach to learning from claims, as well as initiating pilots to improve learning.

14. Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

14.1 Chief Executive: Peter Thompson

14.2 What we do

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is the UK’s independent regulator of treatment using gametes and embryos, and embryo research. We set standards for, and issues licences to, UK fertility clinics and all UK research involving human embryos

We also provide impartial and authoritative information to the public, in particular for people seeking treatment, donor-conceived people and donors. We determine the policy framework for fertility issues, which are sometimes ethically and clinically complex.

Our customers: • the assisted reproduction/fertility sector and all the treatment clinics, storage centres and research establishments within it • those seeking information from us, including patients, the general public, donors and donor‑conceived people • other stakeholders with an interest in what we do, for example professional organisations, other regulators, and the Department of Health.

14.3 How the HFEA is helping improve the health and care system

Our priorities for 2013–14:

1. to support the sector to provide high quality, safe care to patients, with the best possible outcomes
2. to improve the effectiveness of the register information we hold and collect, and the information we provide
3. To seek and deliver further changes and efficiencies through ‘shared services’ work and partnership working with other ALBs

Our milestones for 2013–14:

1. deliver compliance cycle and regulatory oversight (year-round)
2. review three year target for multiple births (June 2013)
3. new edition of Code of Practice (October 2013)
4. modernise the HFEA Register (subject to approval for a capital expenditure programme; main body of work by March 2014)
5. enhance the clinic portal and improved application forms (March 2014)
6. Sage 200 upgrade and reconfiguration of Finance support (summer 2013)
7. work with HRA to streamline the regulation and governance of embryo research (March 2014)
8. continued work with other ALBs, including the HTA and the CQC, to seek further efficiencies (year-round)

14.4 What we achieved in 2012–13:

1. delivered our core work and statutory functions
2. carried out a review, for Ministers, of public attitudes towards prospective treatments to avoid mitochondrial disease
3. introduced new system incorporating more unannounced inspections at licence mid-term
4. implemented a zero-rate fee for frozen embryo transfers following elective single embryo transfers (eSET)
5. costs down from £6.6m in 2011–12 to £6.1m in 2012–13
6. reduced our Authority size by a third, through a Governance Transition Programme
7. further close working with other ALBs

15. Human Tissue Authority

15.1 Chief Executive: Alan Clamp

15.2 What we do

With the interests of the public and those we regulate at the centre of our work, we aim to maintain confidence by ensuring that human tissue is used safely and ethically, and with proper consent

We regulate organisations that remove, store and use tissue for research, medical treatment, post‑mortem examination, teaching and display in public. We also give approval for organ and bone marrow donations from living people

• our customers: licensed establishments, health and other professionals, living transplant units, the public
• number of employees: 45.6 FTE (Feb 2013)
• head office: London
• senior departmental sponsor: Felicity Harvey

15.3 How HTA is helping improve the health and care system

Our priorities for 2013–14:

1. delivering the HTA’s statutory responsibilities
2. an on-site audit of all establishments in the organ donation and transplantation sector
3. realising further efficiencies by working with other bodies
4. drafting a Code of Practice for the Welsh Government on the proposed opt-out legislation for organ donation

Our milestones for 2013–14:

1. 180 on-site inspections
2. public and Professionals surveyed on the regulation of human tissue (building on 2007 and 2010 surveys)
3. public consultation on the Code of Practice on opt-out legislation
4. living donor coordinator and Independent Assessor information sharing event

15.4 What we achieved in 2012–13:

1. successful and on-time implementation of EU Directive on the quality and safety of organs for transplantation.
2. 177 on-site inspections and upwards of 1,200 living organ donation assessments
3. reduction in the fees charged to our licensed establishments
4. improved retention and attrition statistics from the two previous years