GPS in North Durham have set out their proposals to work together with communities to improve the health of local people.

The new commissioning board will work alongside doctors in the locality’s 31 practices as well as with its partners: Durham County Council, County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust and local authority patient groups to agree on all health commissioning intentions.

North Durham CCG accountable officer, Dr Neil O’Brien, said: “As a new commissioning group one of our biggest challenges will be how to use our budget of £330m more effectively and efficiently for the best outcome of our patients.

“Change obviously takes time, but our main focus, right from the start, will be the safety and quality of our services.

“We don’t intend to rip up the book and start again, just manage services in a more efficient and effective way.

“Patients will still go to their own GP, still go to the same local hospitals and still receive the same healthcare.

“CCGs are all about managing that healthcare in a new way, a more patient centred way, and a much more community centred way.

“I understand that people have seen a lot of change within the NHS in the past.

For a long time the argument has been for greater clinical decision making. Now, as GPs, we have the power to make those decisions.

“My aim within the first year of CCGs is that patients don’t notice any change in their health services.

“The main difference people will see is that they have a greater say in the decisions made about their health provision and that more of the services provided are done within their own communities or GP settings.”

With an aging population and large variation in life expectancy across North Durham, the CCG will focus its approaches on reducing death and ill health from cancers, heart disease, strokes and dementia, as well as managing its increased demand from patients with long-term conditions, to reduce mortality in its under-75 population by 16 per cent.

“As a CCG we are slightly unusual in the fact that myself, as Accountable Officer, and our Chair, Dr Kate Bidwell, are both GPs.

“We hope that this gives out a strong message to our patients that our aims are truly GP led.

“We have developed those aims from the ground up, with significant contributions from our member practices and engagement with stakeholders and our patients.

“The government has given us, as health professionals, a great opportunity to lead the new NHS and now it is up to us to make it work.”

The North Durham Clinical Commissioning Group’s key aims for 2012/13-2016/17 are as follows...

To improve the health status of the population by:

  • Increasing the number of health visitors and family nurse practitioners to work with children and their families;
  • Reviewing smoking cessation services and piloting an enhanced 12-week service;
  • Taking stock of teenage pregnancy services;
  • Improving early diagnosis and care for dementia;
  • Recommissioning alcohol services, including screening and assessment for simple to complex cases, prescribing support, care planning and therapies;
  • Expanding programmes and services such as weight management, exercise on referral, health checks and bowel cancer screening;
  • Providing weight management services and support for women during and after pregnancy.

To address the needs of the changing age profile of the population by: 

  • Reviewing district nursing services;
  • Developing communitybased services for people with COPD;
  • Improving services for people with epilepsy;
  • Improving care for people with dementia;
  • Review and improve end of life care services;
  • Commission a home oxygen assessment service.

To commission clinically effective, better-quality services closer to home by: 

  • Reviewing and improving emergency outpatient clinics;
  • Increasing dermatology and minor surgery services provided in community settings;
  • Improving the continence service;
  • Ensuring GP practices have access to dedicated mental health staff;
  • Reviewing urgent care and improving patient transport services;
  • Reducing the number of children admitted to hospital;
  • Reducing the number of care home residents admitted to hospital out of hours;
  • Implementing step up community beds for the elderly;
  • Reviewing intermediate care;
  • Reviewing children’s nursing services;
  • Increasing access to mental health services.