NHS reference costs collection: draft guidance

We are seeking views on draft guidance for the collection of 2013 to 2014 reference costs, in July 2014, from NHS trusts and foundation trusts.

Proposed changes to the reference costs collection are designed to:

• support the development of price setting
• support the development of the scope and design of currencies (ie the units of healthcare to which prices are attached)
• ensure high quality and relevant data are collected
• minimise the burden of national cost collections on NHS providers.

Final guidance is expected to be published in early 2014 as part of Monitor’s approved costing guidance.

Reference costs are the unit costs to the NHS of providing defined services in a given financial year to the NHS patients in England. They are collected and published annually.