Much has been written about GP commissioning as part of Andrew Lansley's NHS reforms. But for all the details of the government's plans, how GP commissioners and local government will work together will be an important debate during the government's NHS listening exercise.
Two hundred and twenty pathfinder consortiums are already commissioning services for around 90% of the population, a job which has traditionally fallen to primary care trusts. The government's original plans will eventually see the trusts dissolved and complete control over budgets passed to GPs. The aim is to localise healthcare and produce more informed decisions, made by frontline staff – although it is possible this will change.
The plans also include scope for councils to have more of a say in how healthcare is provided in their area, through statutory health and well-being boards which would help to commission health and social care. The Department of Health announced recently that 134 councils have so far signed up to form shadow boards, so there is a willingness from local government, but how this relationship will work remains to be seen.
In this live discussion our panel will be on hand to talk about how local government and GP consortiums could work together, what would be the best result from local government's point of view and how can we ensure the needs of communities are met. The panel will be online from 12pm-2pm, Wednesday 18 May. Do join us then or post your comments and questions below now.
Panel
Nick Goodwin is a social scientist specialising in research and policy analysis in health care at the King's Fund
Tom Stannard is Director of Policy and Communications and part of the integrated management team with Care Trust Plus in Blackburn, the first shared service for communications in the UK for the council and PCT
Kevin Jaquiss is a partner in public services at Cobbetts LLP. He worked on the development of the Foundation Trust mutual model and is leading a joint venture with The Co-operative Group to support the establishment of mutual organisations to deliver public services
Emily Thornberry is a Labour MP for Islington South & Finsbury and Shadow Minister for Care Services
Gary Chaplin is a director of Stark Brooks, a Leading Executive Search, Recruitment and Businesses Services group
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