Health revolution moves forward

A REVOLUTIONARY body of doctors is set to become one of the first clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to bid for authorisation.

The Oldham group — which will see the end of Oldham NHS — is a team of 15 people who will influence how health services are shaped.

And at the first meeting of the CCG board yesterday, it was announced the team had successfully reached the third stage of the process.

The group has decided it is ready to prove it can engage well with the public, deliver a full range of services under financial control and be fully accountable.

The CCG has created a 90-day plan which means it should be in a good position to have collated all of the evidence needed to be considered with the first wave of applications in June. Even if authorisation is granted early, the CCG would not become a legal organisation until April, 2013.

The CCG is expected to have a budget of £312.3 million for the year 2012-13.
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