Health leaders are seeking the views of local people and organisations on proposals to create a single strategic commissioning organisation for Cheshire as part of an ongoing conversation about the future of the local NHS.
The four Cheshire CCGs – Eastern Cheshire, South Cheshire, Vale Royal and West Cheshire - have been working closely together for the last 18 months, establishing a Joint Commissioning Committee to speed up decision making on services that are provided in the same way across Cheshire.
The CCGs have appointed a single executive team led by Clare Watson as Chief Officer, and the Governing Bodies of the four CCGs believe the time is now right to create a single strategic CCG for Cheshire.
Health leaders say the proposed single Cheshire CCG will benefit more than 700,000 people by raising standards across all providers and by reducing variation in quality of care and access to services.
Clare Watson said: "This is an exciting opportunity. A single Cheshire CCG would benefit local people by providing consistency and reducing duplication, both for ourselves as health service commissioners and for the hospitals, community and mental health service providers we buy from.
"The move to a single Cheshire CCG will happen hand in hand with the development of two Integrated Care Partnerships (ICPs) that will bring together NHS organisations with our Local Authorities to join up health and social care services around the needs of local people and their communities.
"To ensure that all members of the community are able to have their say, we are inviting the people of Cheshire to tell us their views between 28 May and 23 June 2019 as part of an ongoing conversation about the future of the local NHS".
The CCG Governing Bodies are also seeking approval from their GP member practices to create a single Cheshire CCG. If the member practices vote in favour, and public support is gained, a formal application to merge will be submitted to NHS England in autumn 2019.
Members of the public can find out more by visiting the website of their clinical commissioning group and have their say by completing an online survey available between 28th May and 23rd June.
