What is Clinical Commissioning?

In order to shift decision-making as close as possible to patients power and responsibility for “commissioning” (ie, planning, designing and paying for) your NHS services is being devolved to local groups of clinicians.

This practice is part of the St Helens Clinical Commissioning Group (STHCCG) which commissions local NHS services, including planned and emergency hospital care, rehabilitation, most community services, mental health and learning disability services for the people of St Helens. GPs and other clinicians will continue to engage with local people to help ensure that services are meeting the needs of the local population.

The national NHS Commissioning Board will oversee the performance of Clinical Commissioning Groups, as well as Commissioning GP services, Pharmacy, Opticians and Dentists, and other specialised services. A new consumer body called HealthWatch England has been set up. These local HealthWatch bodies replaced the current Local Involvement Networks (LINks). They promote public engagement in the NHS, comment on changes to local services, act as advocates for complaints, and deliver advice across Health and Social Care.

St Helens Clinical Commissioning Group is committed to Patient and Public Involvement (PPI). All decisions around service design and delivery will explicitly take into account the views of patients and the general public in St Helens in recognition that this will improve the quality of its decision making and lead to services designed to meet the needs of patients. You can get involved and help St Helens CCG to shape NHS services around local needs

What is Patient and Public Involvement (PPI)?

Patient participation is:

Patients working with a GP practice to:

• Help themselves and other patients to take more responsibility for their health.
• Provide practical support for the practice.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of services.

Varied to suit local needs

• The activities of each group are determined by the needs of the community and in consultation with practice staff.

Based on co-operation

• It works by building a relationship between practice staff and patients that breaks down barriers to communication.
• It enables the sharing of information.
• It can provide a first step towards wider involvement in the work of Clinical Commissioning Groups and the rest of the NHS.

Patient participation is not:

A forum for complaints

• Opening up the communication channel within the practice often results in a reduction in the number of complaints.
  A time consuming activity for participating patients or practice staff
• Most groups are self-organising and many undertake activities that are mutually beneficial.

There are many ways to get involved:

• You can join your GP surgery’s Patient Participation group
• You can attend one of the CCGs Governing body meetings that are held in public
• You can attend St Helens CCGs Health Forum
• Send your details to the CCG team with your preferred area of interest and they can let you know if something is coming up in that area
• Get involved with a local or national consultation
• Fill out a ‘talk to us’ form and email it back to communications.ccg@sthelensccg.nhs.uk

For more information visit the St Helens Clinical Commissioning Group website at www.sthelensccg.nhs.uk

Direct Dial: 01744 621749

Follow us on St Helens Clinical Commissioning Group
on Facebook.

St Helens Clinical Commissioning Group
St Helens Chamber
Salisbury Street
Off Chalon Way
St Helens
WA101FY

Please see the Clinical Commission Group Leaflet for more information.