'Limited support' given to plan for single CCG in Shropshire
Plans to create a single CCG group covering Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin has received only 'limited support' from the region's health scrutiny committee and further assurances are needed, its chair has said.
The proposals to dissolve both Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups to form a new single organisation for the county is expected to happen by next April, if given the go-ahead by NHS bosses.
David Evans, chief officer of Telford & Wrekin CCG, updated Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Council’s joint health overview and scrutiny committee on the progress made at a meeting on Wednesday.
The application has now been made to NHS England, but members of the committee raised concerns.
Councillor Derek White, co-chair of the committee, said he did not want Telford to have to suffer as a result, adding that the new group would still have to make cuts in the future.
He told Mr Evans that the formation of a single group was also 'not going to dissolve your financial crisis' and that primary care was also 'in crisis', with patients facing long waiting times.
Shropshire CCG could face a deficit at the end of this financial year of more than £40m – in addition to its £76.6m historic debt from previous years.
Meanwhile, Telford & Wrekin CCG is also falling into debt.
Demand
Responding to fears about GP access, Mr Evans said: "In Telford and Wrekin we are aware we have challenges in some of our practices.
"Most practices are seeing increased demand as we are seeing increased demand across A&E.
"We have to make sure access to services is available for those people that need it at the right time."
He said forming the single organisation may not solve all issues, but added: "It will enable us to have a more co-ordinated approach across the whole of the footprint."
Dag Saunders, on the committee, said he also wanted to see a 'levelling up' of services across the region, rather than down.
Members of the scrutiny committee were asked to Indicate their level of support for the proposals.
In response, Councillor Karen Calder, committee co-chair, said: "It's clear we can only say at this moment that it's limited. "It does still feel like a work in progress. We would ask you to return with more information and assurances around the risks we have identified."
Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin CCGs need to make cuts of 20 per cent to running costs to save £1.2 million.
Health bosses say the creation of a single body is to support the ambition of the NHS Long Term Plan.
