Patients across the
country will benefit as the NHS receives a cash injection of up to £100 million
to boost services in their communities, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has announced.
The Department of
Health is providing up to £100 million in additional funding to doctors in
emerging Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) to improve local services and
reduce pressures on the NHS during the colder months.
Clinicians in these
groups will spend the money directly on local care services that best meet their
patients' clinical needs and prevent unnecessary admissions to hospital. For
example, prospective Clinical Commissioning Groups could use the funding to:
• provide more effective cover for urgent care services
• improve out of hours services for patients
• improve local arrangements with nursing homes
• extend GP practice opening times, or
• commission any service which supports patients in the community and in their
homes to help avoid unnecessary visits to hospital.
This is the first
time these prospective clinical groups have been given money to spend on
patient services. They will have £2 per head of population made available to
them via their Primary Care Trust (PCT) cluster to spend this financial year.
Health Secretary
Andrew Lansley said: "I am pleased to be able to give the NHS up to £100
million in extra funding to spend directly on local frontline care for their
patients during the winter months."
"This is the
first time emerging Clinical Commissioning Groups - made up of GPs and other
local clinical professionals - have been given money to spend on services for
patients. This additional funding, available due to good management of the
Department's central budgets, will harness the expertise of local clinicians
who know better than anyone, what their patients need."
"Moving
decision-making closer to patients will mean 'no decision about me without me'
and ensures that patients receive the right care according to their individual
needs. This more effective and efficient way of working will see savings
reinvested in front line NHS care."
Many prospective
Clinical Commissioning Groups are ready to take responsibility for investments
of this kind and will be supported by their local Primary Care Trust cluster,
who will sign off their plans. The funding must be used to improve patient
services - it cannot be spent on running costs.
The funding will
enable prospective CCGs to implement measures which support their longer term
plans to improve services for patients.
CEO of North East Essex
CCG, Dr. Shane Gordon said: "This funding will ensure that the quality and
speed of health services in our area is maintained during the winter. As a
local GP, I work with patients and colleagues in our Clinical Commissioning
Group; together we plan our health services to deliver the best possible care
to our population. The extra funds are a welcome boost during a demanding part
of the year".
This is the first
time that the Department has specifically identified funding for PCTs to
delegate to prospective CCGs for patient care, although individual PCTs have
been delegating elements of their commissioning funds to emerging CCGs and
Pathfinders during 2011/12 as part of their development. In the first half of
2011-12, about £29 billion had been delegated to CCGs to spend on providing
services for patients.