GPs give overwhelming support to healthcare overhaul in Bedfordshire

GPs across the region have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a draft constitution for a new single Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

It sets out the way members will work with a single CCG from April 2021 throughout Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes.

At present there are three Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) serving Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK).

Each CCG is made up of clinicians, GP Member Practices and NHS managers, who work together to buy health services for their local communities. This allows doctors, nurses and other health professionals to be involved in deciding what services are most needed.

A proposal is now being considered to bring together all three CCGs to form one organisation which would be called NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Group (BLMK CCG).

Dr Nicola Smith, chair of BLMK CCGs, said: “We are delighted to confirm that not only did we have a very high turnout across all three areas, we had unequivocal support of the draft constitution for the single CCG.”

In total there are 98 GP practices in BLMK and all had the opportunity to take part in a constitutional vote at the end of August. The results for each CCG were overwhelmingly in favour.

Bedford GP Dr Roshan Jayalath is part of the working group involved in developing health policies for the region.

He said: “The overwhelming support from GPs shows how they recognise the creation of a single CCG will be good for patients and local services. It will allow access to more national funding, address health inequalities and give GPs more influence over the provision of health services across Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes.”

The draft constitution will now be put before the Governing Body Committee in Common for approval this month.

The public can also have their say about the proposal by completing a short survey here, which is open until September 13.