A model constitution for clinical commissioning groups has recommended board members serve no longer than four years at a time, and boards should be limited to 12 people.

The document was produced this month by the umbrella group Londonwide Local Medical Committees, in collaboration with the British Medical Association’s legal team BMA Law.

It says CCG accountable officers should not be subject to election. Finance directors are not covered by that measure, although a Londonwide LMCs spokeswoman later clarified that they would also be appointed.

The “model constitution” is intended as a tool for shadow CCGs drawing up governance arrangements. It follows the first formal guidance on CCG governance, published late in November by the Department of Health.

The constitution model says CCG boards should consist of a maximum of 12 and never less than eight members.

The model specifies that each board would have a chair, a vice chair, a finance director, an accountable officer and an LMC representative. Three board members “shall be non-clinical”.

Board members, including the chair, should hold office for no longer than two terms of two years at a time, “after which their positions shall be subject to election”. They could only stand again after a two-year break.

Under Londonwide LMCs’ suggested constitution, a CCG would be able to delegate “any of its activities” to a sub-committee, and board members could be sacked if they missed five consecutive meetings.

The recommendations go further than official guidance on CCGs, which has not specified how many people should serve on a CCG board or for how long.

Elections should be conducted every three years by LMCs, and involve all local GP practices, the proposed constitution says.

Incoming National Association of Primary Care chair Charles Alessi told HSJ CCGs should determine their own form and function and practices should not have to involve LMCs.

“We’re living in a world whereby all clinicians need to be involved in the delivery of healthcare – it’s up to the individual practices that make up the CCG to ensure that they do.

“How they do that is completely up to them. Some have involved LMCs and that’s great… but I don’t think it’s helpful to prescribe that they have to.”

Topics