CCGs in the south of England are the big winners under the new funding formula which links allocations to population size, age and deprivation, NHS England figures have revealed.
Only 7 of the 68 CCGs in NHS England’s Northern region have had an above inflation increase for 2014/15, compared with 21 of the 32 London CCGs, 23 out of 61 CCGs in the Midlands, and 25 out of 50 in the South.
The biggest winner in the 2014/15 funding allocation was Merton CCG in London which will see its funding increase by 4.92% to £208,458 in 2014/15.
The Hertfordshire and South Midlands local area team saw the highest increase in funding, averaging 3.53% across all seven CCGs.
The new funding measures have been brought in to address deficits in areas with rapidly growing or aging populations, while roughly 10% of the funding is allocated based on an area’s deprivation.
The new formula was agreed at an NHS England board meeting on Tuesday which also advised that CCGs should set aside five pound per head of practice population to help ‘named GPs’ in taking on responsibility for vulnerable, elderly patients.
