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Planning Guidance: response from NHSCC in full

Planning Guidance: response from NHSCC in full
24 December 2015



NHS Clinical Commissioners has responded to the suite of materials published by the Department of Health and NHS England in the last few days to support the NHS to plan for the future, all of which will have a significant impact on CCGs in the coming months and years.

NHS Clinical Commissioners has responded to the suite of materials published by the Department of Health and NHS England in the last few days to support the NHS to plan for the future, all of which will have a significant impact on CCGs in the coming months and years.

Dr Steve Kell, NHS Clinical Commissioners co-chair and chair of NHS Bassetlaw CCG said: “The ambition shown is welcome and we support the high level approach taken by the mandate, planning guidance and CCG allocations framework, all of which re-emphasise the need to follow the vision set out in the Five Year Forward View and the need to plan for a long term sustainable NHS. However, without seeing the technical detail in the annexes to the planning guidance it is hard to know how all these three align to enable the system as a whole to get on and do their job.

“We are though particularly pleased by the confirmation that there will be no cuts to CCG’s running costs, an area that NHSCC has strongly been campaigning for on our members’ behalf. The stability this gives will be absolutely crucial in allowing CCGs to play their part in transforming healthcare and creating a sustainable NHS.”

Dr Amanda Doyle NHS Clinical Commissioners co-chair and chief clinical officer of NHS Blackpool CCG said: “Taken as a whole the recently published documents can potentially set a helpful strategic direction and on the face of it look like an attempt not to micromanage the NHS. How the national bodies now implement these plans will be vital, and the key for our members is that CCGs are given the support to invest and transform care for their local populations.  This must translate into a  truly multi-year approach to CCG finances, with less focus on yearly balancing to allow for up-front investment and a genuine transformation.

“The next stage, once we learn the further detail behind the plans, is to work through the relative priorities to get the right balance between short term stability and long-term transformation planning. CCGs must be able to access funds and resources to invest in the long term and shift services out of hospitals and into primary care, mental health and community services to the benefit of local patients and populations.”

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