28.03.12
Potential conflict of interest for CCGs
GPs’ shares in private healthcare firms could present a conflict of interest in the operation of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), new research suggests.
In 22 of the new CCGs, at least half and sometimes all of the GPs on their boards have a personal financial interest in a private or other non-NHS provider, research group False Economy revealed.
CCGs will replace PCTs in April 2013 and assume control of £60bn of health service spending. There are concerns that GPs who sit on commissioning boards could use this power to effectively commission their own companies.
Dr Clare Gerada, chair of the Royal College of GPs said: “The fact that GPs have these outside interests may influence their commissioning decisions, and may put at risk their relationship with their patients because the patient might mistrust where they are being sent to for treatment and the GP's motives. It may also damage the NHS because having many different providers will increase costs and fragment care, which means patients will lose out.”
Johnny Marshall, chairman of the National Association of Primary Care said: “It’s really important as a public body from a conflicts-of-interest point of view that we end up operating above reproach and suspicion. We can’t find ourselves in the position where there’s a perception among patients that the decisions we are taking about their care are influenced by personal financial gain.”
A False Economy spokesman said: “The risk revealed by our findings is that GPs who formed provider companies in good faith, in response to government policy, and often on a cooperative basis, find themselves accused of trying to profit from GP commissioning by rival bidders – often big health firms with private equity backers looking for any opportunity to muscle in on local health services.”
A Department of Health spokesman said: “We strengthened the Health and Social Care Bill to set out what CCGs must have in place to manage conflicts of interest. There will be a requirement for clinicians to declare and publish potential conflicts of interest and for CCGs to ensure transparency and integrity of their decision making. The NHS Commissioning Board, as part of the authorisation process for CCGs, will also make sure that each group has clear arrangements in place to manage potential conflicts of interest and prevent anti-competitive behaviour.”
The potential problems with the governance of CCGs are examined in the March/April edition of NHE (p28-29). Health professionals can subscribe for free at www.nationalhealthexecutive.com/subscribe.htm