Dear Colleagues
The next senate is to take place in October where we'll debate some real clinical pathway related issues as I know that the recent constitution papers were a bit dry but thanks for all the comments that were received on this; the document will be coming around for practices to officially sign as a indication of engagement and mandate needed for the authorisation process.
In the week following the senate, we are holding a CCG MDT type meeting to start broadening our focus. It will include groups working with our practice management and nursing colleagues and we are keen for as many people to attend as possible.
The CCG is starting to come together and work very well; your executive is involved in the vast majority of goings-on in the Care Trust Plus (CTP) and certainly involved in all of the current major workstreams. From this autumn, it is vital that together with the CTP, we undertake and decide the financial plan for the year ahead including active engagement in the contract negotiations with, for example, the hospital, as these will be part of the authoriation process.
We are due to start the authorisation process where our CCG and its plans are scrutinised as to whether they are fit for purpose and hence, can carry on. There are six domains to authorisation ranging from financial viability to examples of experience and good practice in broader engagement such as with the borough council.
As I've reported previously the CTP has merged into the Lancashire Cluster of PCTs and this cluster organisation is starting to get itself together; although the day job of our PCT will still be done by BwD CTP, the strategic development is well underway by the cluster.
The CTP communications team has been working on a collaborative website for practices to register with and use as part of the overarching structure that the CCG will have and provide. We are also developing, through something called huddle, an interactive online resource allowing us to communicate much more openly and details of this are to follow.
It is with great sadness that I have to report that Dr Neil Smith will be stepping down as PCT educational lead in December. Thank you to Neil, you will be sorely missed.
As always please get in touch if there is anything you wish to discuss.
Dr Chris Clayton
Chair, BwD GPCC
Partner, Darwen Healthcare
