Changes to south east London CCGs
From April 2018, the six CCGs in south east London (Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark) formed the
NHS South East London Commissioning Alliance to build on our existing collaboration to commission services more efficiently and effectively for local people in each borough and across south east London.
As part of our response to the Long-Term Plan we are proposing to make further changes to our six CCGs in south east London to ensure they are best placed to commission the full range of services for our residents.
Proposals for a south east London CCG
We are working with our staff, GP members, partners and residents to design proposals that can be considered and agreed between September and November 2019 to establish a single CCG.
This will involve merging the six CCGs (Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark), resulting in their dissolution at the end of March next year and the establishment of a South east London CCG from 1 April 2020.
Like our existing CCGs today, a single CCG for south east London would be statutory body for the commissioning of NHS services for our communities and every general practice in our six boroughs would be a member.
Local decision making at borough (‘place’) level
A single CCG will allow us to commission more effectively and consistently for south east Londoners where it is in the best interest of patients.
However, much of what we do will continue to be at a borough level and our relationships with local authorities, voluntary sector organisations, Healthwatch and other partners will be as important as ever.
We are proposing to establish borough or ‘Place’ based boards that take formal responsibility for decision making, planning and commissioning of local community-based care. These boards would bring together health and local authority commissioners to plan local services with delegated responsibility for budgets in each borough.
All of our boroughs will be equally represented through their practices as members of the CCG and through Governing Body membership. What would change for patients?
Our aim is to be better able to plan services at the right population level, enhance the joining up of health and social care, and reduce management costs so that more money can go into our GP surgeries and community services and our hospitals.
While patients should not see any changes to their day to day care, it may mean some changes for CCG staff who are working with these organisations. It will also change the way we work with our partners in social care and local authorities to commission services. Involvement and engagement with our proposals
We will ensure that staff, GP members, key partners including clinicians, patients and public are engaged and kept informed of developments throughout the programme.
We will also be discussing CCG reform at the north Southwark PPG on 18 September.
