Essential guide for GP Commissioning Consortia

Released: 14/02/2011

The NHS Alliance’s NED Network has published Establishing Governance: essentials for GP Commissioning Consortia, which states that achieving the new health system can only be attained if there is effective allocation and management of resources, informed by good governance.

"With the current changes in the policy and architecture of the NHS, our aspiration should remain a health system that improves the well-being of citizens, is financially viable, is integrated, ensures access, addresses health inequalities and offers care of good quality and is responsive to the needs of the population,” says Dr Ade Adeagbo, the Chair of the Non-Executive Directors Network of the NHS Alliance.

According to the guide, the governance of GP Commissioning Consortia should have independent directors or non-executives. This good practice has been demonstrated through the experiences of PCTs and highlighted, for example, by the UK Corporate Governance Code 2010, and the European Corporate Governance Institute.

Alongside this, GP Consortia governance also needs to:

Involve patients and local citizens in a meaningful way

• Ensure GPCC has democratic legitimacy by having representation from Health Watch
• Learn from PCTs [to preserve corporate memories]
• Tap into the skills and expertise of current non-executive directors in the NHS
• Adopt good practice in public service and private sector governance

Dr Adeagbo added that other NED colleagues have emphasized that "it is important to recognise that the delivery of good governance is as much about how people behave and organisational culture as it is about process and democratic legitimacy."

Ends.

Notes to editors:

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.