NHS CCC welcomes Lansley’s letter to CCGs
Released 21/02/2012
The NHS Clinical Commissioning Coalition welcomes a letter from Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, to all leaders of prospective Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs)
The NHS CCC has welcomed a letter written by Lansley to all CCGs addressing their concerns regarding the Health Bill
Dr Charles Alessi, a senior member of the CCC, commented: “This unusual step the Secretary of State has taken, at a difficult time in the implementation of the reform agenda around clinical commissioning, is timely and most welcome, and provides a much needed measure of reassurance.”
Alessi stated: “Many CCGs have laboured under the impression that they will not be able to choose the source of their commissioning support, which the Secretary of State has now unequivocally clarified. As statutory organisations, CCGs will be able to choose commissioning support ‘from whatever organisations, in whichever sectors are best able to meet’ their needs and requirements, in some cases prior to April 2013, depending on the local situation”
“The letter also clarifies”, Dr Alessi added, “that CCGs alone are responsible for the commissioning decisions they make, free from central and PCT Cluster interventions. It provides a strong defence for those CCGs, which find themselves under pressure to continue with existing commissioning arrangements that they, with their patients and local populations, no longer think are fit for purpose.
“It is, however, perfectly reasonable, that CCGs should be held to account for the outcomes delivered within the available resources”, Dr Alessi added, “and the alignment of clinical and financial responsibilities is one of the underpinning and important principles of the reforms. Only through such alignment, will clinicians be able to bring about the much needed transformation and modernisation of the NHS.”
Alessi added: “This letter makes the position very clear. CCGs, and CCGs alone, will decide when and how competition, if at all, should be used in the interest of patients. Competition is not necessarily about the use of private sector providers; many forget that competition is possible within the NHS, between one NHS trust and other trusts. It will be for CCGs to make appropriate decisions, based on the quality and state of local provision.”
“It is important, too, that CCGs are mindful that they, as future statutory commissioners, should be driving forward the local integration agenda, which can only be delivered at grass roots level, through the development of strong local relationships across the health and social care economy. Integration is an important aspect of modernisation, which is dependent on strong relationships, based the desire to deliver state of the art services for local populations, at the lowest possible cost. What integration is not is the primacy of one organisation over others.”
The Coalition has reiterated its support for clinical commissioning, and says it will continue to work to ensure that Lansley’s reassurances are followed through, as they are “crucial to the reforms’ successful implementation.”
See more news stories like this
Get a Free trial subscription to Practice Business