CCGs approved for joint commissioning of GP services

6 Mar 2015 12:29 PM

Over a third of GP-led Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) around the country have been approved to jointly commission GP services with NHS England, which was announced yesterday.

This follows the announcement last week of the first CCGs approved to take on greater delegated responsibility for GP services and means that from 1 April, over 70 percent of CCGs (a total of 150 to date) will take on greater commissioning responsibility for GP services.

The new primary care co-commissioning arrangements are part of a series of changes set out in the NHS Five Year Forward View to deliver a new deal for primary care and another next step towards plans set out by NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens early last year to give patients, communities and clinicians more involvement in deciding local health services.

Dr Amanda Doyle, Primary Care Co-Commissioning Programme Oversight Group Co-Chair and Chief Clinical Officer for NHS Blackpool CCG, said: “Co-commissioning is a key enabler in developing seamless, integrated out-of-hospital services based around the needs of local populations. It gives greater commissioning power to local areas and will help drive the development of new integrated models of care such as multispecialty community providers and primary and acute care systems.”

Ian Dodge, National Director for Commissioning Strategy at NHS England, said: “We’ve now backed a total of 150 CCGs to take on delegated and joint commissioning powers to improve local primary care. This sends a strong message about the confidence we have in CCGs, and is another demonstration of our commitment to a new deal for primary care.  Joining up the commissioning system is critical to help unlock new models of integrated care described in the NHS Five Year Forward View.”

Joint commissioning is one of three models offered to CCGs to allow greater involvement in planning and delivering primary care health services. It enables one or more CCGs to assume responsibility for jointly commissioning primary medical care services with NHS England, either through a joint committee or ‘committees in common’.

CCGs that haven’t yet applied as well as CCGs not approved at this stage will have further opportunities to apply for greater delegated commissioning responsibility. NHS England will continue to provide support to help them achieve the commissioning model that works best for them.

Joint commissioning is part of plans set out in the Next steps towards primary care co-commissioning document developed by the joint CCG and NHS England primary care co-commissioning programme oversight group in partnership with NHS Clinical Commissioners and will support the journey towards the wider strategic agenda set out in the Five Year Forward View.

The 87 CCGs have been approved for joint commissioning subject to constitutional amendments and the signing of terms of reference by the 31 March 2015

North

Midland and East

London

South