Rejection of plan for single Shropshire CCG faces mixed reaction

There had been plans to dissolve both Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin clinical commissioning groups to form the new organisation by next April.

It would have given a single group control over buying healthcare services for people across the entire county.

But it emerged on Tuesday that the application had been turned down by NHS England, with the view being it was 'not strong enough at this stage to proceed in this timescale'.

Shropshire Council leader Peter Nutting said he believed allowing more time will enable more innovative solutions to be put in place.

He said: “I have frequently challenged our local NHS partners to reduce their structures and management costs so that resources can be focused on the front line services that people need.

"Bringing the two CCGs together is an obvious way of achieving this.

"I am assured that what we now face is a decision to delay, rather than stop the bringing together of the CCGs.

"I believe that an extra year to conclude this merger will enable more innovative solutions to be put in place, particularly in reducing the number of managers that are duplicated around the health and social care system and in streamlining commissioning arrangements across organisations.

"I am optimistic that this could deliver a better result but I will continue to press for the change and transformation that is needed in health and social care.”

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Others have welcomed the fact that the application has been rejected.

Gill George, chair of Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Defend Our NHS, said it was good news for those who 'prefer some accountability in the NHS'.

Councillor Andy Burford, Telford & Wrekin Council's cabinet member for health and social care, said: "Telford & Wrekin Council raised its concerns about the creation of a new CCG as we fear it will diminish local accountability and not give enough recognition of our borough’s separate identity and particular needs.

"Both CCGs, Shropshire’s in particular, have had to make massive cuts and cost savings to attempt to bring their growing deficits under control. "By bringing them together, we fear we will be worse off in Telford.

"We believe they will have to be clearer in how they will work locally with partners in the borough and how they propose to tackle the deficit without detriment to healthcare for people here in Telford & Wrekin."

Labour Party officials from the Wellington, Hadley and Leegomery branch had previously written to NHS England to share its concerns over the plans.

A letter from branch secretary Beryl Mason claimed the plans make 'no sense' and raised concerns over Shropshire CCG's 'considerable deficit'.

It comes as Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin CCGs need to make cuts of 20 per cent to running costs to save £1.2 million.

Health commissioners say they intend to reapply as soon as possible and in the meantime will 'continue to develop a single management structure across both CCGs and work to bring teams together over the coming months'.