The six CCGs in Nottinghamshire are in discussions about whether to merge into one single commissioning body.
Mansfield and Ashfield, Newark and Sherwood, Nottingham City, Nottingham North and East, Nottingham West and Rushcliffe CCGs said they believe this is the ‘best way’ to enable people in their area to access ‘the best health and care services possible’.
They also argued that the merger would help them cut running costs and redirect that money to supporting local healthcare services.
The CCGs have launched a public consultation – which will close next week on 17 June – to receive feedback on the proposals.
Each governing body of the six CCGs has agreed to the merger, stating they believe that the benefits of creating one NHS body ‘would be much greater than staying as we are today’.
However, the CCGs said that no decision has been finalised as they are keen to hear the views of GPs, partners, patient representatives and other stakeholders first.
The CCGs have been sharing a single accountable officer, Amanda Sullivan, since November 2018. If they receive approval to merge, they will become a single commissioning body on 1 April 2020.
The merger would mean that there will only be one CCG in the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire integrated care system (ICS), which has recently agreed to a series of measures to retain Nottingham City Council as a member of the partnership.
Last year, NHS England asked CCGs to cut administrative costs by 20% by 2020/21, and many CCGs are merging in a bid to achieve this.
As Healthcare Leader previously reported, six CCGs in South East London, two in the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin area, three in North Yorkshire, and four in Cheshire are currently in talks to merge.
Eight CCGs in North West London are also in talks to merge into one organisation.
NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens said in January that there will be fewer CCGs in the future as part of the NHS long-term plan, and ‘typically’ there will be one CCG per ICS.
