The Kings Fund have recently published this introductory guide to good governance for clinical commissioning groups (CCGs).

CCGs will be responsible for 60 per cent of the NHS spend from 2013 onwards. This is a significant responsibility for relatively new organisations and leaders of what will be publicly accountable bodies.

This guide is intended to help the newly formed CCGs understand the principles and function of good governance, particularly as these relate to their new statutory role, accountable to parliament combined with their role as a membership organisation, accountable to and for their practices. This dual accountability is a new challenge but also provides new opportunities to create the added value from clinical commissioning.

The NHS Commissioning Board (NHS England from 01 April 2013) will set out specific guidance on minimum governance requirements and standards for CCGs. This guide is intended to provide a useful context and supplement to that and a foundation on which CCGs can build new and innovative governance arrangements for the future.

Download Good governance for clinical commissioning groups (250 kb)