Progress made towards establishing the groups of GP practices which will take over the commissioning of health services in the district from April will be highlighted at a meeting next week.
A presentation will be made to Bradford Council’s health overview and scrutiny committee on work on the district’s three Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).
The CCGs will take over the lion’s share of the responsibilities held by Primary Care Trusts when they are abolished as part of major Government reforms in health and social care.
The proposed CCGs – Bradford City; Bradford Districts; and Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven – will take over planning, designing and buying health services for patients.
Their responsibilities will include emergency and urgent care, community health services, maternity, all planned hospital care, infertility treatment, treatment of infectious diseases, rehabilitation services, wheelchair and home oxygen services and healthcare services for people with mental health conditions and learning disabilities.
In other changes, the Council will take over public health responsibilities from the PCT such as sexual health, tobacco control, drug and alcohol misuse services and NHS health checks, and have a bigger role in planning health services by leading the health and well-being strategy for the district.
Another body called the NHS Commissioning Board will take over specialised services, many primary care services such as primary medical care, community pharmacy, dental services and NHS sight tests, as well as services for people in prison and military personnel.
The CCGs in the district have contracts in place to buy a range of professional services they need to support their business from West Yorkshire Commissioning Support Unit (CSU) and there will be collaboration between the CCGs in a number of areas, including finance, risk sharing and continuing healthcare.
The presentation to councillors at City Hall on Thursday at 4.30pm, will be made by Helen Hirst, chief officer designate for Bradford City and Bradford Districts CCGs and Phil Pue, clinical chief officer designate for Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven CCG.
They are expected to be able to tell councillors the CCGs have been authorised without conditions.
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