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GPs warn new local reorganisation is ‘worse than PCTs’

Five CCGs in Essex will be making joint decisions as part of NHS England’s ‘success regime’ for struggling areas, but local leaders have warned that the new reorganisation will be worse than the PCT model.  

Andrew Pike, Essex area director for NHS England, has said that the five CCGs would remain but make decisions as one group in order to reduce hospital admissions and provide more community-based care.

The reorganisation is a result of Essex being placed in a ’success regime’, which has seen three areas with financial difficulties across the whole health economy being given funding and supervision by NHS England.

Mr Pike said to the Brentwood weekly news: ’We want to see what we can do to help GPs and nurses keep people safe and looked after in the community and avoid unnecessary admissions to hospital.’

‘If GPs are asked to do more work, if they take on special clinics, there will be extra funding,’ he added.

Three hospitals in south Essex will also be sharing services as part of this plan.

But when asked whether this is a move back towards the old PCT model, Dr Brian Balmer, chief executive of Essex LMCs told Pulse: ‘It’s worse than that. This is an NHSE top-down re-organisation of three hospitals which is being done with minimal consultation with patients. Primary care is an afterthought though they pretend it’s important.’