Archive for January, 2013

Southport and Formby Clinical Commissioning Group (SFCCG) has received formal confirmation that it will become a statutory NHS body from 1 April 2013.

SFCCG was authorised by the NHS National Commissioning Board (NHS CB) on 18 January, following a stringent assessment to determine if it is ready to take on the responsibility of planning and ‘commissioning’ or buying the majority of local health services in the area.

Fiona Clark was also appointed Accountable Officer for SFCCG, effective from the same date. Her role is a joint one with South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group, which gained authorisation at the same time as SFCCG. It means that both clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will take over most of the work currently carried out by Sefton Primary Care Trust when it is abolished at the end of March.

Every aspect of SFCCG’s work and performance was scrutinised by the NHS CB. Authorisation is granted after experts ensure a clinical commissioning group (CCG) is safe and effective through a rigorous assessment and assurance process which includes reviewing policies, carrying out detailed site visits, interviewing and assessing its leaders and assessing its work with stakeholders and patients.

SFCCG was in the second wave of authorisation and underwent the rigorous five-month assessment along with 66 other clinical commissioning groups around the country and is amongst 45 who have been authorised with conditions, or areas of development. SFCCG expects to meet its outstanding criteria – four from a total of 119 – before 31 March.

You can see the NHS CB’s full wave 2 authorisation report on its website, which includes details of SFCCG’s assessment.