News / First CCGs to be authorised in October

Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will be authorised by the NHS Commissioning Board in four waves from October.

According to leaked documents, the Commissioning Board expects to authorise one wave a month, with the final group of CCGs given the green light by 31 January 2013. First-wave applications are due in July, with the others following at the start of September, October and November.

The authorisation assessment will be based on six domains, which include clear and credible plans to deliver QIPP (quality, innovation, productivity and prevention) savings and proper constitutional and governance arrangements. The latter incudes having the capacity and capability to deliver financial control.

A draft list of documents to be submitted by applicant CCGs includes evidence that financial management arrangements comply with national requirements, 2012/13 contracts as well as draft commissioning intentions for 2013/14.

Finance managers contacted by Healthcare Finance said it was unclear how detailed the assessments would be. One said: 'There must be a flexible approach that reflects the actual scale of change and its associated risks, which will vary for each CCG. The main concern is the ability to assess commissioning support given that they are in the very early stages of development in many places.'

Others said they were yet to get information crucial to financial planning, including the cost of commissioning support and baseline funding data.

But at least a month before the application date for their wave, CCGs will be given performance and population profiles such as activity and outcomes and finance data. This will include baselines, fair share funding and the risk of overspend given their populations. The documents also said that assessors will use the profiles to understand the challenges facing aspirant CCGs.