The clinical commissioning genie is out of the bottle...

Released: 12/07/2011

Despite a prolonged political process, the National Association of Primary Care (NAPC) and NHS Alliance (NHSA) are delighted that plans which will ensure clinicians and their patients will be at the centre of future commissioning of NHS services are now coming to fruition. "It has been hard work" said Dr Johnny Marshall, Chairman of NAPC "but we are getting there. And it is imperative that the emerging Clinical Commissioning Groups should seize the initiative and not allow bureaucratic barriers to be placed in the way of progress".

Despite the clear intent of the health and social care bill now before parliament, it is evident that some Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and Strategic Health Authorities are determined to impose their views upon the new commissioning groups. "We are extremely concerned, said Dr Michael Dixon, Chairman of the NHSA, to hear many reports from around the country that PCTs are preventing pathfinders and emerging commissioning groups from becoming established from the bottom up. It seems that those organisations still want to cling on to their idea that size is all that matters" he added.

Both NAPC and the NHS Alliance are determined to ensure that Clinical Commissioning Groups should be able to work out for themselves what their composition should be and where their support should be obtained from. "We cannot tolerate a situation where PCTs are allowed to impose their own ideas on the emerging Clinical Commissioning Groups" said Dr Marshall. "We are deeply concerned to hear that some, seemingly less progressive, PCTs are insisting that Clinical Commissioning Groups should cover a particular geography. We fully understand the need to contain running costs within the available resources and to ensure joined up planning with Local Authorities but this can be achieved in creative ways such as by Clinical Commissioning Groups working together to share their overheads, rather than duplicating them" he added.

Similarly the NHSA and NAPC believe that the imposition of existing commissioning support arrangements on the new groups will be a sure fire way of stifling the enthusiasm and commitment of clinicians. "If those PCTs get their way" said Dr Dixon, then all that will happen is that PCTs will be recreated and that surely cannot be what is intended by this extensive reform process".

Drs Dixon and Marshall added "We are delighted that Sir David Nicholson has stipulated that PCTs should "let go" and support the emerging commissioning groups to get on with their new responsibilities. But both NAPC and the NHSA will press Ministers to make clear to PCTs and SHAs that they should not constrain Clinical Commissioning Groups before they have begun". "It is imperative", said Drs Dixon and Marshall, "that emerging Clinical Commissioning Groups should be enabled to establish themselves within the rules stipulated by the Department of Health and not be faced with artificial requirements imposed at local level". "We believe the very survival of clinical commissioning is at stake here - we do not support clinical commissioning arrangements being determined on behalf of GP practices by PCTs and unless all PCTs adopt the practices of the most progressive PCTs then they will put the success of the whole NHS at risk".


About National Association of Primary Care:

The National Association of Primary Care (NAPC) is a non-political, non-profit-making organisation representing and supporting the interests of all its members, both individuals and organisations working in or with primary care.  It also offers support through associate membership to those bodies, which provide services to primary care or have other health-related interests.
www.napc.co.uk

About NHS Alliance

The NHS Alliance is the only organisation that brings together PCTs with practices, clinicians with managers and board members - and NHS Primary Care with its patients.

It is completely independent of government (and of any particular interest group or political party too) though it is happy to work in partnership with all bodies associated with the NHS providing its values and principles are not compromised.

The NHS Alliance membership and its hardworking national executive is fully multi-professional. No other NHS body has PCT chief executives and other senior managers, doctors and practice managers, nurses, pharmacists and allied health professionals, along with board chairs and members, all working together to improve the health service.

The NHS Alliance champions, supports and represents NHS primary care and all those working in it as a movement committed to a fair and progressive NHS that is free from the traditional tribalism of single interest groups. At the same time, it recognises the value of specialist expertise and its thirteen professional networks allow all groups to benefit from their insights, ideas and experience.
http://www.nhsalliance.org/