Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the (a) role and (b) responsibilities are of the Chief Executive of Tameside and Glossop NHS Clinical Commissioning Group.

The role of the Accountable Officer, which is equivalent to a Chief Executive, is summarised by the Tameside and Glossop Clinical Commissioning Group Constitution as:

“i. being responsible for ensuring that the clinical commissioning group fulfils its duties to exercise its functions effectively, efficiently, and economically thus ensuring improvement in the quality of services and in the health of the local population whilst maintaining value for money,

ii. at all times ensuring that the regularity and propriety of expenditure is discharged, and that arrangements are put in place to ensure that good practice (as identified through relevant national bodies and agencies) is embodied and that safeguarding of funds is ensured through effective financial and management systems,

iii. working closely with the Chair of the Governing Body, the Accountable Officer will ensure that proper constitutional, governance, and development arrangements are put in place to assure the members (through the Governing Body) of the organisation’s on-going capability and capacity to meet its duties and responsibilities. This will include arrangements for the on-going development of its members and staff.”

The key responsibilities of the Accountable Officer are defined by NHS Tameside and Glossop CCG as:

"i.T o contribute to developing the strategic direction of the GP Commissioning Consortium (GPCC), translating the strategic objectives of the Consortium into operational plans and managing their delivery.

ii. To lead the accreditation process for licencing of the Consortium, working with NHS North West and the Greater Manchester Cluster to ensure that accreditation criteria is met and that the Consortium is successful is successful in its application to become an authorised GPCC by April 2012/2013 and can be established as a NHS Consortium statutory body.

iii. To lead the development of the transition plan, developing organisational structures, systems and processes and ensuring that they are fit for purpose and working closely with the Greater Manchester Cluster in order to implement Quality, Innovation, Prevention and Productivity plans and reach consensus on shared services, risk management and commissioning approaches.

iv. To be responsible for ensuring wide engagement with senior stakeholders from the local health and social care economy, developing and maintaining existing partnership working and actively pursuing opportunities to partnerships within the community which will promote the health and wellbeing of the population.

v. To provide or procure comprehensive commissioning and support functions to support the Consortium, performance managing their delivery.”

Further information can be found in the attached document.