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DH External Gateway

The Gateway Team, originally established 2001, provides assurance to NHS & social care organisations that national communications are fit for purpose in terms of content and policy governance.

We consider:

 

  • all new/changed policy proposals;
  • the content of all nationally targeted communications from DH and its Arms Length Bodies to NHS/social care organisations, and;
  • distribution proposals for such communications;

Why have a Gateway?

The Operating Framework for the NHS 2011/12 states "To ensure NHS organisations can be satisfied that central requests are limited to the minimum necessary to allow them to focus on their local communities, all communications requiring the attention of NHS management in 2011/12 will be consistent with this NHS Operating Framework and include a Gateway reference number."

How do we work?

Gateway is essentially a corporate check to: 

  • ensure compliance with the NHS Operating Framework and other key strategies
  • reduce the planning burden placed on NHS and local authority health and care services 
  • limit the number of new requirements introduced – focusing on core priorities 
  • manage volume and influence style of guidance to ensure consistency 
  • ensure data monitoring and reporting are proportionate

A full list of the standard criteria applied during the External Gateway review process is attached below:

I’ve received a document from DH without a Gateway reference number, what do I do?

All communications requiring the action of NHS or local authority management issued by the Department of Health should have a valid Gateway reference number.  Documents that do not comply with this should be forwarded to

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