15.05.19
London trust and CCG to appoint first joint leader in new shared working plans
A London trust and CCG have published new plans to increase the level of joint working between Croydon’s NHS services by appointing a new single joint leader.
Croydon Health Services Trust and Croydon CCG have announced their ambition to further the existing partnership which currently sees the organisations share a joint chief nurse and executive director of midwifery.
The trust and CCG said they now want to bring together more common functions, removing duplication and freeing up resources for the frontline, starting with the appointment of a single leader.
The new leader would be supported by a committee with members from both organisations, together considering strategy, transformation and finance decisions.
The new partnership would include shared forums for certain key functions such as finance and quality, shared roles employed jointly by both organisations, and shared strategic priorities.
The trust and CCG would have a single delivery plan, and a single budget and financial plan including a combined target for 219-20, “helping to reinforce the financial future for healthcare in Croydon.”
This builds on the success of the One Roydon Alliance which includes partners from across the borough, trust and CCG who are “seeking to transform services further by working together to better plan and deliver care in Croydon.”
The trust said the move would ensure high quality joined-up care for patients whilst delivering greater opportunities for staff to develop their careers at both the CCG and trust.
Mike Bell, chairman of Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, said both the trust and CCG have the same goals and that bringing them closer together “ensures the best possible spend for the Croydon pound and free-up resources to support further quality improvements on the frontline.
“Croydon is ahead of the curve in London to take forward the NHS Long Term Plan and has an amazing opportunity to ultimately bring the whole health and care system together to improve the wellbeing of all.
“Our two organisations have been in discussions for some time to identify areas where we can better work together to deliver real transformation for the people of Croydon. This proposed partnership is the next step on the journey towards broader alignment with our Croydon partners.”
In 2016, both the trust and CCG were placed in financial special measures but both have since exited the regime and whilst the trust is predicting a £23m end of year deficit, the CCG has had a financial surplus for the first time since it was established in 2013.
Agnelo Fernandes, chair of Croydon CCG, said they were now “in a very strong position to increase the alignment between our two organisations” and “for us to agree this shared control total so that we can make sure we invest every pound in the best and most efficient way possible.”