NHS England is making changes to how some specialised health services are planned and delivered.
From today (1 April), integrated care boards (ICBs) in the south east will be responsible for commissioning 70 specialised services.
Specialised services support people with a range of rare and complex conditions. They often involve treatments provided to patients with rare cancers, genetic disorders or complex medical or surgical conditions.
If you, your baby or someone you know received care in a neonatal unit when they were born, or if you, your family or friends have experienced chemotherapy, radiotherapy or kidney dialysis for example, it is likely that you have used a specialised service.
There are 154 different specialised services, which are generally accessed by comparatively small numbers of patients and tend to be in larger hospital trusts that can recruit a team of staff with the appropriate expertise.
The move aims to improve patient care in the long term, reduce waiting times, improve integration into non-specialised services, and help people get the best possible treatment when they need it.
There will be no immediate change to the way patients are referred to specialised services or the services offered.