A question mark has been raised about the futures of some back office NHS staff in Norfolk after it emerged that an organisation established less than a year ago was being taken over by a London-based body.

NHS Anglia Commissioning Support Unit (CSU) was formed last April as part of a major reform of the NHS, which resulted in the abolition of primary care trusts and the formation of GP-led Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG). However, the unit, which is based at the Broadland Business Park in Norwich and employs 252 people, will be taken over by NHS North and East London CSU from April 1.

The decision has been made by the five CCGs for Norfolk and Waveney over concerns about the cost and quality of services provided by the Anglia CSU. However, it is not known how many jobs will be affected by the changes and a separate cost reduction programme. The unit works with CCGs to provide back office functions such as the management of procurement, contracting, and data analysis.

Jonathon Fagge, chief executive officer of Norwich CCG, said many of support services for local CCGs will continue to be delivered in Norwich. Writing in his blog, Mr Fagge said there were a number of problems with the Anglia CSU.

'It's too expensive, its delivery is inconsistent, and there is no confidence that it can deliver high quality services that are good value for money without radical change. There are some very high quality individuals in the organisation who have the right skills and are focused on the needs of the customer, but not enough of them to pull the organisation into recovery,' he said.

Talks have begun between officials from the Anglia and London CSU as to how they will function. A 45 day staff consultation on a cost reduction programme at the Anglia CSU also comes to an end on February 20.

A statement from both CSUs said: 'Both CSUs are working together to create one organisation and are working hard together to put the interest of their employees first and keep them informed of changes throughout the planning and transition process. The exact shape of the new, single organisation will need to reflect the requirements of commissioning customers.'

'A small number of posts may be affected as a result of this cost reduction programme and employees who may be at risk have been notified, are part of a meaningful consultation process and have been offered support. The exact number of posts affected has yet to be determined and is dependent on the feedback received from staff during the consultation period.'