This CCG lead recently stepped down as co-chair of NHS Clinical Commissioners – but only to move on to another pivotal role for general practice.
Dr Doyle will be in the unique position of negotiating the GP contract on behalf of NHS England, after NHS England decided to bring the negotiations in house from NHS Employers. It will be negotiating with the BMA over the ins and outs of the ‘biggest GP contract reform since 2004’.
She says the negotiations will be an opportunity for her ’to bring my perspective of more than 20 years as a partner in a traditional general practice to the NHS England team and to work positively with BMA GP Committee colleagues to agree a contract which continues to develop general practice as the keystone of the NHS’.
Dr Doyle is very much in tune with NHS England’s ‘transformation’ agenda. She lists her highlight of the past year as developing the Lancashire and South Cumbria ‘integrated care system’. This new organisation is one of 10 across England that will take on the financial responsibility of delivering health and social care services to their patient population.
She says the body will focus on ‘improving clinical services and outcomes for a large, diverse and complex population’. Dr Doyle, who is chief clinical officer of NHS Blackpool CCG adds: ‘I’m really pleased that we are one of very few large integrated care systems to be led by a GP and that we are able to maintain a focus on improving population health and developing primary care.’
Why influential:
She’s one of just six on the NHS England side of the GP contract negotiation table
What she says:
Those close to her would describe her as ‘confident, knowledgeable and energetic’.
Random fact:
She admits that there’s nothing surprising about her – ‘what you see is what you get’.
