Seven CCGs approve single accountable officer for whole STP

Waltham Forest, Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge, City and Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets CCGs have voted in favour of appointing a single accountable officer for the sustainability and transformation partnership footprint by January 2018.

The single accountable officer will also be appointed as lead of the north east London STP. A joint committee across all the CCGs will also be created.

The news comes despite City and Hackney, Newham and Waltham Forest CCGs initially declining to support the proposals.

The lead for the STP is currently Jane Milligan, chief officer for Tower Hamlets CCG.

The STP’s proposals said: “By working effectively together, having one accountable officer and a robust governance structure, CCGs can also access funds for transformation; our share of the strategic transformation fund rises annually to £136m by 2020. It is clear that having one AO, combined with their role as STP lead, is a precondition for transfer and then application of these funds locally.”

North east London has become the third STP in the capital to have a single accountable officer across all its CCGs. South east London is the only area where commissioners have not moved to this model.

Last month, HSJ reported that NHS England was accused of being “heavy handed” after it told City and Hackney CCG it could face legal directions if it did not support the single accountable officer proposal.

The Hackney health overview and scrutiny committee also strongly opposed the plans, claiming they would “weaken” local accountability.

Earlier this year, NHS England forced City and Hackney CCG to pause plans to fully integrate budgets with the local authority, after launching a review into the CCG’s governance processes.