Commissioning
Exclusive: Interactive commissioning system map
HSJ has launched the first comprehensive interactive map of the reformed NHS commissioning system, showing critical details about the new organisations.
Caldicott expected to raise legal doubts over CSU data services
The NHS Information Centre for health and social care is increasing its capacity to store and manage data in the expectation that commissioning support units will be prevented from holding sensitive information about patients.
Ricketts: don't externalise before CSS market is mature
Plans to “externalise” commissioning support units should be given a lower priority over the next two to three years than establishing a market in support services, HSJ has been told.
Mandate requires board to guarantee CCG autonomy
Clinical commissioning groups have received a strengthened commitment from ministers to ensure their autonomy, and new powers to rate the performance of the NHS Commissioning Board.
Board could force CCGs to work with its teams on reconfiguration
The NHS Commissioning Board will have the ability to force clinical commissioning groups to work with centrally appointed groups of doctors on reconfiguration programmes.
HSJ Briefing: general practice services and policy
The growing pressure for general practice to meet rising NHS demand rests on a slow but steady path of improvement
Commissioning board extends control as 'specialised' budget balloons
The budget for specialised commissioning will increase by more than 40 per cent, in a move which will centralise responsibility for many services.
DH tracker shows cluster confidence
Primary care trust leaders are overwhelmingly confident about the progress being made towards setting up the new NHS structure, internal reports obtained by HSJ reveal. However, many areas are experiencing difficulties establishing the local operations of the NHS Commissioning Board.
Big drop in GPs lined up for CCG leader roles
Less than a quarter of the clinical commissioning groups created under the government’s NHS reforms will have GPs as their accountable officers, an HSJ investigation has found.
Planning, complaints and collaboration are common problems for CCGs
Early feedback from the clinical commissioning group authorisation process has highlighted planning, complaints and collaboration as some of the most difficult issues.
Huge variation in CCG staff numbers
There will be huge variation between clinical commissioning groups’ internal staff numbers and their reliance on independent support services, according to the first analysis of the structure of the new groups.
Exclusive: Government faces Lib-Lab challenge over Health Act regulations
The government is facing a joint Labour-Liberal Democrat challenge to Health Act regulations which impose restrictions on the membership of clinical commissioning group governing bodies.
Final sign-off for CCG authorisation to be put back a month
Clinical commissioning groups will be authorised a month later than previously planned, the NHS Commissioning Board has announced.
Hunt urged to give GP commissioners autonomy
GP and clinical commissioner representatives have given a cautious welcome to the new health secretary, urging him to maintain commitment to local autonomy.
FTs expect CCGs to reverse activity growth next year
Foundation trusts expect clinical commissioning groups to oversee an unprecedented reduction in activity in 2013-14, Monitor has revealed.
Rising GP referrals contradict Lansley claims
Emergent clinical commissioning groups have been unable to prevent GP referrals hitting a new high, contradicting repeated claims by the health secretary that they were already reducing demand for secondary care, HSJ analysis has found.
Competition panel to probe referral management
The NHS Cooperation and Competition Panel has begun a probe of the competition implications of providers operating systems to manage patient referrals.
Commissioning support market faces heavy regulation
The NHS Commissioning Board has revealed the future market in commissioning support services is likely to be heavily regulated, potentially including restrictions on firms making a dividend.
'Developmental' CCG authorisation process gets underway
The authorisation of clinical commissioning groups will be an “iterative process” – with organisations able to correct their weaknesses throughout the process – government regulations have confirmed.
CCGs may get to rate commissioning board's behaviour annually - mandate
The NHS Commissioning Board may be rated annually for its commitment to autonomy by a survey of clinical commissioning groups, according to its first “mandate” from the government.
More on Consortia Commissioning
The board's first challenges
The commissioning board face difficult times ahead with the weight of expectation heavy
How GPs can remove obstacles to QIPP targets
Delivering the QIPP targets is proving a tough challenge for GP practices. Paul Cook offers some practical ideas on how to remove the obstacles in the way.
