HEALTH chiefs in Warrington and Halton are considering what changes they can make to cut costs after being told their budgets for “back office” functions are to be cut by 20 per cent.
Three options are being studied – but NHS Warrington Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and their Halton counterparts stress that running costs budgets are completely separate to the budget for providing services to patients and patient care.
Hospital, community, GP and other services are not affected.
Budgets for running costs are based on head of population. So smaller CCGs like Halton have a lower budget for running costs than towns and cities.
Warrington gets more than Halton but neither get as much as places like Liverpool.
Even though each area gets a different amount of money for back office functions, every CCG has the same job to do and the same legal duties to meet so they have to employ the same staff … for example, every CCG has to have an IT function, a finance team, a governing body and staff to do the contracts etc.
A spokesperson said: “We cannot simply stop doing any of the work we do just because we have to reduce the costs by 20 per cent. We have a legal duty to still do everything we are accountable for and cannot legally overspend.
“None of the three options being considered will impact on local health care services, patients and their care. Nothing will close, move or change as a result of any of the proposed changes, and patients will not see any difference.
“Even though the proposed changes don’t affect patient care in any way, we still want to hear the views of local people. All views will be considered as the three options are fully worked up”.
The three options are:
Option 1 – Formal merger of the two CCGs
This would build on the current integrated working arrangements but would mean the establishment of an entirely new CCG, with a single management team, governing body and one set of statutory duties to be delivered, coterminous with the local authorities. Savings would be made as the duplication would be greatly reduced
Option 2 – Do Nothing
This option would be to remain as is, with two separately accountable CCGs – but this would not deliver the required reduction in costs.
Option 3 – CCGs integrate with their respective local authorities – Warrington Borough Council and Halton Borough Council.
This option would be integration as it would not be possible for the CCG to fully merge with the Local Authority as a single entity as Local Authorities and CCGs are different legal entities with separate statutory responsibilities.
People can provide the CCGs with their views by completing a short survey at
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/FutureCommissioningHWCCG
The final decision will be made by the GP membership of each individual CCG towards the end of September.
