Responding to the direct commissioning announcement from NHS England and NHS Improvement, the chief executive of NHS Providers, Chris Hopson, said:

"Trust leaders will welcome the additional clarity on the direction of travel for specialised services under the new integrated care system (ICS) based arrangements.

"It is good to see that NHS England and NHS Improvement will work through the finer details over the course of the next financial year.

"There are some important issues to resolve, including which services can be appropriately commissioned at ICS or on a larger footprint including the national level, and crucially, how changes in the commissioning of specialised services can lead to better outcomes and experiences for patients.

"Trusts have significant expertise in both planning and delivering these services, and look forward to playing a full part in shaping the future of specialised commissioning.

"It is essential that we learn from existing collaborations including in mental health, and establish a clear role for trusts in leading and co leading these services so that services for patients are not disrupted."