Via the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS England from 01 April 2013)
The NHS Commissioning Board (NHS England from 01 April 2013) is formally established today, 1 October 2012, and takes on its full statutory responsibilities on 1 April 2013.
At this date, the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS England from 01 April 2013) will take on many of the current functions of Primary Care Trusts with regard to the commissioning of primary care health services, as well as some nationally-based functions currently undertaken by the Department of Health.
Securing excellence in commissioning primary care describes the system by which the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS England from 01 April 2013) will use the £12.6bn the NHS spends on commissioning primary care to secure the best possible outcomes for patients.
Professor Malcolm Grant, Chair of the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS England from 01 April 2013), said:
“The first step is our authorisation of the clinical commissioning groups. These are to be at the heart of the new, clinically-led commissioning system introduced by the Health and Social Care Act. These new organisations have the potential to transform health outcomes in their communities, and we will support clinical leaders in developing the innovation necessary in their local areas to achieve this.
From 1 April next year we will also have responsibility for the commissioning of primary care and for the national commissioning of specialised services. Improving the health of patients and the population at large will be prioritised in every decision we make.”
Sir David Nicholson, Chief Executive of the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS England from 01 April 2013), said:
“The formal establishment of the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS England from 01 April 2013) marks a significant step forward towards the transformation of the way we care for patients. We have been given a real, once in a lifetime opportunity to do things differently, by empowering our clinical leaders and ensuring that the needs and wishes of patients truly shape the health services they receive and deserve.”