NHS Chief Executive Sir David Nicholson has urged GPs to step forward as leaders for health reform.
In outlining the future relationship between the NHS Commissioning Board and GP-led commissioning consortia he called for GPs "to go that extra mile and become accountable officers, and stand up on issues of leadership".
NHS Chief Executive Sir David Nicholson has urged GPs to step forward as leaders for health reform.
In outlining the future relationship between the NHS Commissioning Board and GP-led commissioning consortia he called for GPs "to go that extra mile and become accountable officers, and stand up on issues of leadership".
NHS Chief Executive Sir David Nicholson has urged GPs to step forward as leaders for health reform.
In outlining the future relationship between the NHS Commissioning Board and GP-led commissioning consortia he called for GPs "to go that extra mile and become accountable officers, and stand up on issues of leadership".
The role of the accountable officer has been specified in the Health Bill in order for a consortia to be recognised although who should take up the role is not prescribed.
Speaking to health professionals at one of the final events held as part of the government's listening exercise, he said: "We need to get the right support and resources to you and create the opportunities to allow you to grow as leaders – that's part of my responsibility."
He committed to creating an environment where clinical commissioning can become a reality.
He said he was confident that clinicians would be "happy" with the so-called 'quality premium' – a bonus received by consortia for good commissioning work to be reinvested in care.
He also urged then to communicate the changes to colleagues. "Explain what clinical commissioning means and the way it connects with patients and people come over very quickly," he said.
He added that quality and productivity were the same issue.
"The interesting thing is that people have tried to put the quality and productivity challenges down to the changes. If we think about then like that we will fail, they are the same thing… We need better quality for the resources we have. My responsibility is to equip you so we can feel confident in making it a reality."
He also echoed some of the delegates' sentiments that, for true accountability and transparency, consortia should be required to meet in public.
"I am a big advocate of meeting in public," he said.
