One of the country's most senior health economists has been appointed to the board of his local clinical commissioning group.
Professor Alan Maynard, professor of health economics in the Department of Health Sciences at Hull-York Medical School, has been appointed as a lay member to the board of Vale of York CCG.
The respected academic, who has 40 years experience in health economics, said he would aim to assist the board in meeting the ‘unparalleled' challenges facing the NHS.
Professor Maynard's research interests include the use of financial incentives and performance management of doctors, including the impact of the QOF on GP behaviour.
He is also an outspoken commentator on the regulation of the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare reform.
He said of his new role: ‘The challenges facing the NHS locally and nationally are unparalleled; with funding being highly restricted and the drive for improved patient care and safety rightly intense.'
‘As chair of the Governing Body and Patient and Public Engagement Champion, I look forward to working with NHS and local government colleagues in managing these challenges collaboratively.'
As of April 1 2012, the CCG was delegated the responsibility for managing an annual budget of £340million in shadow from.
Professor Maynard was appointed along with fellow lay member Keith Ramsay, who becomes chair of the CCG's Audit Committee.
Dr Mark Hayes, shadow accountable officer for Vale of York CCG, and a GP in Tadcaster, North Yorks, said: ‘The Vale of York CCG is ambitious to become the best in the country. We believe that both Alan and Keith will be key in helping us achieve this.'
‘We expect to move forward to be in the first wave of Clinical Commissioning Groups that are authorised in October 2012.'
