GPs could see themselves performance-managed by colleagues, after NHS England revealed plans for CCGs to ‘monitor contractual performance’ and negotiate PMS contracts.
According to newly released board papers, 183 of England’s 211 CCGs have submitted expressions of interest in commissioning GP services, or 87%, after being invited to do so last month. NHS England said it would approve bids ‘in principle’ by autumn while actual delegating of budgets will start from next April.
And, listing the potential benefits of CCGs commissioning, NHS England’s national director of commissioning operations said this included negotiating local contracts ‘e.g. PMS’ as well as ‘managing contractual performance’.
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Dame Barbara Hakin said: ‘The potential scope for co-commissioning of primary care encompasses a wide spectrum of activity, including the assessment of needs, decision making on strategic priorities with Health and Wellbeing Boards, designing and negotiating local contracts (e.g. PMS), managing financial resources, and monitoring contractual performance.’
It comes as Pulse reported on CCG bids including wide-ranging plans for carving up the GP contract, including pooling of QOF and enhanced services budgets with other NHS finance streams such as earmarked integrated care budgets, for example.
GPC deputy chair Dr Richard Vautrey said: ‘PMS contracts are locally negotiated contracts and do require local knowledge, however I think the concern many GPs will have are around conflicts of interest – whether perceived or real – which risks undermining confidence in CCGs.’
