NHS Improvement, the result of the merger of Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA), has called for bids for the delivery of initial consultancy services valued at between £0.7m and £1m.

The contracted services will assist the new agency, set to launch in November, in maximising structural efficiency. Monitor has set out the terms of the contract, which is expected to provide support in the following areas:

• Developing an agreed organisational structure, including overall functions and design principles

• Designing options for a new operating model to provide clarity on how NHS Improvement will deliver its functions

• Developing values and ways of working to underpin the new functions and operations

This is not the first time Monitor has sought external support in the design and development of NHS Improvement. An interim staff programme is currently being set up consisting of a team of 15 to 20 people responsible for the oversight of the programme, guiding key elements of the process and engaging the broader staff bases of the organisations.

The programme is worth £0.8m, meaning the amount spent of external delivery support for the new agency could reach up to £1.8m.

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