Oral Answers to Questions

Nadhim Zahawi Excerpts

Tuesday 12th June 2012 Commons Chamber

[Claire Perry (Devizes) (Con)]

1. What progress clinical commissioning groups have made in improving care for patients.

[Nadhim Zahawi (Stratford-on-Avon) (Con)]

17. What progress clinical commissioning groups have made in improving care for patients.

[The Secretary of State for Health (Mr Andrew Lansley)]

This year, developing CCGs have delegated responsibility for more than £30 billion of local commissioning. Clinical leadership is using NHS resources more effectively, as part of improvements in care. In particular, we are seeing many improvements in community-based services—for example, a pulmonary exercise programme in Durham; a community spinal service in Reading; and a new musculoskeletal service in the Vale of York CCG.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Lansley]

I am very grateful to my hon. Friend for demonstrating how these new developing relationships that CCGs and local authorities are creating with NHS providers and care providers are delivering improvements in care for the constituents we all represent. I urge other hon. Members to follow her example in stimulating exactly those relationships.

[Nadhim Zahawi]

The CCG covering my constituency is interested in improving patient care by looking at new methods of contracting and management, but it has been told that it must use a clinical support service set up by the primary care trust, staffed by ex-PCT staff and most likely based in Birmingham, rather than south Warwickshire, at a cost of £4 million a year. Could the Secretary of State—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Let us just have a question—not the preamble, but the question.

[Nadhim Zahawi]

I apologise, Mr Speaker. Will the Secretary of State confirm that there is no need for the CCG to use such an organisation and that it is free to form its own commissioning structure without incurring redundancy and wind-up costs from the PCT?

[Mr Lansley]

Yes, I can confirm that CCGs have the freedom to decide which commissioning activities they will do themselves and which they choose to secure from external organisations, thus enabling them to carry out their functions effectively. They can, if they wish, develop their own organisations and staff or contract with other organisations, and they are not required to contract with the commissioning support services hosted by the NHS Commissioning Board.