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How CCGs can benefit from including secondary care doctors, report reveals

How CCGs can benefit from including secondary care doctors, report reveals
4 June 2015



A new report shows how collaborative working between CCG leaders and secondary care doctors can be used to benefit local people.

A new report shows how collaborative working between CCG leaders and secondary care doctors can be used to benefit local people.

The joint report, Collaboration in Clinical Leadership, from NHS Clinical Commissioners (NHSCC) and the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) highlights how having secondary care doctors on CCG governing bodies can support local commissioning.

Through the use of case studies, from across England, it supports CCG leaders and secondary care doctors to understand how they can make the role work – whilst also showing the diverse ways secondary care doctors have contributed to CCGs since their creation two years ago.

Dr Steve Kell, co-chair of NHSCC, said “The role of the secondary care doctor has much to offer local commissioning – be it insight, experience of secondary care pathways, critical challenge or acting as a non-executive. The evolution of the role will also be important as we move closer to co-commissioning, supporting CCGs with robust decision making and transparency.

“Our members are committed to making clinical commissioning work, and this report shows how CCGs have worked with their clinical colleagues to overcome some initial practical challenges to harness the breath of expertise that secondary care doctors can provide on CCG governing bodies,” he said.

The tips in the report for CCGs include giving the secondary care doctor an induction, telling them who's who at the CCG, how things are structured, what the vision of the CCG is and what your expectations of them are.

The report also recommends recruiting creatively, as "many skilled secondary care leaders are not aware of this opportunity to shape local commissioning." For example making use of clinical leadership networks such as those hosted by the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management or NHS England.

Responding to the report, RCP’s Registrar Andrew Goddard said:“It is essential for CCGs to reach out to the local clinical workforce and engage them. Similarly, secondary care doctors need to be proactive in engaging with local commissioning systems in order to influence and support real change for their patients.”

Read the full  report here

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