NHS Reform - it's all about patient choice right? It is indeed and this is the central focus of the reform from which everything else links to and from...
How will this reform benefit you?
GP Consortia
Starting with the Commissioners - all PCT's and SHA's will be abolished by 2013 and with them their ability to commission. The Operating Framework issued in January has clarified that PCT Clusters, to be in place by June 2011, are expected to offer support through 2011/12 in the following areas:
- A qualified or accredited senior finance manager (who may be shared with other consortia)
- Organisational development expert/facilitator
- Individual with expertise in Governance/Corporate affairs
- Commissioning expert
With the abolition of PCT's in 2012, the responsibility for commissioning will reside with the GP's and more specifically the GP consortia - they will need support in a raft of areas from the obvious ones of commissioning and finance to training and management through to promotion of their services to a more competitive landscape where they will need to show why their Consortia is better than their neighbours.
We have a number of clients who are looking at ways to re-align their services and products to reach and support this market in a coherent way before this development occurs.
Any Willing Provider (AWP)
In readiness for an even playing field for suppliers in to the NHS, and to make it a more competitive a place, a process called Any Willing Provider (AWP) is being introduced that will see a national register of providers be created that will see providers pay to be included on this register once they have been jumped through the necessary accreditation hoops.
From spring of this year, Commissioners will start using the AWP process as a procurement process with a national register coming in to being later this year when the aforementioned will be placed on it.
Community Services will be the first wave of services taken through AWP - my questions to you are:
* do you know the Community Services?
* can you supply in to this area for the NHS and if so are you aware it will be starting from the Spring?
* are you aware of the AWP process and how you can leverage this process to become a supplier to the NHS?
2011 will see the start of a fairer, more competitive NHS environment to supply in to as the Government seeks to address greater patient choice in our communities.
My final question is: Are you geared up for it?
For further information please call Craig on 07789 753 714 or John on 07827 975 522.
January 
