Clinical Commissioning Groups
What are Clinical Commissioning Groups?
Clinical Commissioning Groups are groups of GPs responsible for designing local health services in England. They will do this by commissioning or buying health and care services including:
- Elective hospital care
- Rehabilitation care
- Urgent and emergency care
- Most community health services
- Mental health and learning disability services
Clinical Commissioning Groups work with patients and healthcare professionals and in partnership with local communities and local authorities. On their governing body, Groups have, in addition to GPs, a least one registered nurse and a doctor who is a secondary care specialist. Groups have boundaries that do not normally cross those of local authorities. Clinical Commissioning Groups are responsible for arranging emergency and urgent care services withing their boundaries, and for commissioning services for any unregistered patients who live in their area. All GP practices have to belong to a Clinical Commissioining Group.
A-Z glossary of key terms in the modernization.
A day in the life of a CCG Chief Officer (Guardian Professional, 7 December 2012).
Who oversees Clinical Commissioning Groups?
The Clinical Commissioning Groups are overseen by NHS England (NHS Commissioning Board) which ensures that Clinical Commissioning Groups have the capacity and capability to commission services successfully and to meet their financial responsibilities. NHS England's senior structures contain a range of healthcare professionals, and it has a Medical Director and a Chief Nursing Officer on its board.
The NHS Commissioning Board is also responsible for directly commissioning:
- Pharmacy services
- General Practice
- Dentistry services
- Specialist services (specialised services that are required by a limited number of people)
At a local level, there are Health and Wellbeing Boards in local authorities to ensure that Clinical Commissioning Groups are meeting the needs of local people. The membership of these boards includes representatives from:
- Clinical Commissioning Groups
- Directors of public health
- Children’s services
- Adult Social Services
- Elected councillors
- Healthwatch (representing the views of patients, carers and local communities)
To find out more:
- Modernisation of health and care
News, information and discussion on the modernisation of health and care from the Department of Health - The functions of GP commissioning consortia
A working document from the Department of Health - NHS Evidence
Search for pages on GP Commissioning. - "The Essential Guide to GP Commissioning"
includes a timeline for the changes. Published by National Association of Primary Care and United Health UK. - NHS Networks Commissioning Zone
- The Royal College of GPs Centre for Commissioning
Keeping up to date with the changes
There are a number of websites that provide updates on issues involving the NHS, including Clinical Commissioining Groups.
- Pulse
News, comment, clinical and practice information for GPs - GP Online
News and clinical, management and education resources - Modernisation of health and care
News, information and discussion on the modernisation of health and care from the Department of Health - BMJ NHS reforms
- The healthcare network
From Guardian Professionals - Health Service Journal
(subscription required)