In July 2010, the Coalition Government published a White Paper called Equity and Excellence – Liberating the NHS. In March 2012 this became an Act of Parliament.
Major changes to the NHS are included in the Act such as the abolishment of Primary Care Trusts and passing power to commission (buy) NHS services to family doctors (GPs) via Clinical Commissioning Forums (CCGs). As well as creating CCGs.
The Act establishes several other new bodies including:
- NHS England: responsible for securing the provision of health services and regulating commissioning consortia.
- Healthwatch England: responsible for providing advice on the views of local organisations and service users.
- The Health and Social Care Information Centre: responsible for publishing and assessing the quality of information produced by health and social care bodies.
- Public Health England: responsible for public health.
What are Clinical Commissioning Groups?
Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are groups of GPs that are responsible for designing local health services In England.
CCGs work with patients and healthcare professionals in partnership with local communities and local authorities.
On the governing body CCGs have, in addition to GPs, a least one registered nurse and two lay members. CCGs have boundaries that will not normally cross those of local authorities. They are responsible for arranging emergency and urgent care services within their boundaries, and for commissioning services for any unregistered patients who live in their area.
All GP practices belong to a Clinical Commissioning Group. Some of the services which CCGs commission include: elective hospital care, rehabilitation care, urgent and emergency care, most community health service and mental health and learning disability services.
In Church Street Practice we are part of the South West Locality which comprises 15 practices who work together for our patients. Our vision is that by working together we will have a healthier population, with fewer inequalities, and health services that are high quality, cost effective and sustainable.
We meet every month to discuss issues and help the Oxfordshire CCG provide the most appropriate care for our population. At present Dr Matthew Gaw is Church Street’s Locality representative.