Conflicting opinions among CCG leaders and GP members over who 'owns' new commissioning groups, report suggests

22 Jul 2013 New research into the early development of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), a cornerstone of the coalition government's NHS reforms, suggests that many GPs do not currently have a strong sense of ownership of their local CCGs.A distinctive feature of the 211 CCGs that took over responsibility for the majority of the budget for commissioning health care services in the English NHS from 1 April 2013 is that they are membership organisations designed to harness the clinical expertise of their local GP members. Handing greater control of budgets to GPs was a key element of the government's Health and Social Care Act (2012).However, one of the first studies to be conducted into the early experiences of CCGs, published today by The King's Fund and the Nuffield Trust, suggests that member GPs are less likely to believe that their CCG is 'owned' by them when compared with the leaders of those CCGs. While there was a great deal of support for what CCGs are trying to achieve, many of the GPs involved in the study felt that decisions being taken by their CCG did not always reflect their views.The report, based on six case study CCGs, highlights significant variation between different CCGs, with levels of member ownership and involvement much higher in some areas than others. Larger CCGs in particular may face a challenge in engaging GPs and creating a culture of collective ownership.The research also found that most GPs believe CCGs...
Source: The King's Fund - Press - Category: UK Health Source Type: news