The majority of CCGs are dissatisfied with the commissioning support they are being offered according to the results of a new survey carried out by the NHS Clinical Commissioning Coaltition.
Some 95 responses were received to the survey from across the four strategic health authority clusters.
The results reveal 70.7 per cent expressed dissatisfaction with the commissioning support being offered while 20 per cent indicated they had decided to use their local PCT cluster offering because they were ‘too busy' to explore alternative arrangements.
Over 80 per cent of respondents indicated they had been given insufficient information about the choices available.
In some areas however a positive dynamic with PCTs was revealed with 26.7 per cent of respondents saying they had opted to go with the PCT clusters' offering because relationships with PCT support staff were good.
The NHS Clinical Commissioning Coalition is made up of the NHS Alliance and NAPC.
Dr Charles Alessi, NAPC chair, said: ‘Overall the results do not inspire any confidence in the manner in which the clinical commissioning reform agenda is being rolled out.'
He added: ‘The health and social care bill was intended to liberate clinicians to work with their patients but the reality as the implementation agenda unfurls is that what we are seeing is central control.'
Dr Mike Dixon, NHS Alliance chair, said: ‘Clinical commissioners should be treated as intelligent customers not as happens in some areas as servants of their commissioning support.'
