26 August 2011

NHS Alliance Calls for More CCG Involvement in Authorisation

NHS Alliance has called on the government to ensure that Clinical Commissioning Groups are fully involved in the authorisation process and modernisation plans. The organisation warns that CCGs are in danger of becoming peripheral and the bottom tier of a commissioning hierarchy

Dr Michael Dixon, chairman of the NHS Alliance, said: “CCGs will play a crucial role in the new NHS and there needs to be a lot more dialogue between them and the centre regarding their authorisation and implementation. At the moment, it seems that they will be put in a position where other bodies will be telling them what to do, which goes against the government’s commitment to put ‘CCGs at the heart of modernisation plans’.”

According to the NHS Alliance:

  • the authorisation process should be a dialogue rather than an arms’ length assessment
  • there should be a dialogue in relation to the National Commissioning Board, its roles and responsibilities
  • other bodies (such as the NHS Commissioning Board/PCT cluster) should work with and support CCGs who are not ready, rather than taking over their commissioning responsibilities

Dr Dixon added: "Managing CCGs through PCT clusters, for example, puts CCGs at arms’ length from the National Commissioning Board and its central decision making system.  They seem to be at the periphery and at the bottom tier of the commissioning hierarchy, not at its centre, as they should be. This needs to be a two way process, from the development of the National Commissioning Board downwards and between future CCG leaders and the Department of Health. This dialogue needs to look at how the whole system will work rather than CCGs being consulted on various aspects of the new system as chosen by the centre".

Notes:

  1. NHS Alliance brings together GP consortia, PCTs, clinicians and managers as the leading organisation in primary care. We are an independent non-political membership organisation proud to be at the forefront of clinically-led commissioning. Its leaders are all dedicated professionals, who represent the Alliance’s diverse membership, working ceaselessly to meet the challenges facing the NHS today. Find out more at www.nhsalliance.org
  2. For more information, please email pressoffice@nhsalliance.org or call 07772756674.