NHS: Clinical Commissioning Groups

Baroness Manzoor Excerpts

Wednesday 27th November 2013 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, the CCG target formula recommended by ACRA this time a year ago was rejected by NHS England for the very reasons that the noble Lord cites: because it did not include an adjustment for deprivation and health inequalities. At a recent Health Select Committee hearing, Paul Baumann, the chief finance officer of NHS England, indicated that the proposed new formula would have an adjustment for a health economy’s unmet need—in other words, an adjustment for deprivation where low life expectancy suggests that people are not accessing health services.

[Baroness Manzoor (LD)]

My Lords, can my noble friend the Minister clarify that responsibility for the development of primary care is to be shared between CCGs and NHS England area teams, particularly as CCGs now control two-thirds of the NHS budget?

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, at present primary care is commissioned by NHS England and has three broad ingredients: primary medical care, primary pharmaceutical services and primary dental services. However, we are looking at ways of making the whole process of primary care commissioning more creative. That could well involve a joint process by NHS England and clinical commissioning groups.