659.This section establishes a tariff-based system for funding clinical education and training – whereby providers receive the same payment for the same activity. This will enable a national approach to the funding of clinical placements, and provides for equality of treatment between different providers. The Secretary of State will set the tariff price.
660.One of the functions of HEE is to determine the way in which education and training activities are grouped together for the purposes of payment. Subsection (2) recognises that different tariffs will need to be set by the Secretary of State, depending on the groups developed by HEE.
661.Subsection (4) allows the Secretary of State to specify a procedure for making variations to a published tariff. This could either be a variation to the price of the tariff itself, or a variation to the price being paid to a particular provider (or group of providers) on a case-by-case basis.
662.Subsection (6) allows the Secretary of State to revise or revoke any such variations. It also allows the Secretary of State to make any revisions or revocations to the tariff itself.
663.Subsection (9)(a) stipulates that where a tariff has been published by the Secretary of State, HEE – through their LETBs – will be required to make payments to providers at the published tariff price. Subsection (9)(b) confirms that – where there has been a variation to an approved price – that this new price should be used by HEE.