10.03.15
Quarter of CCG board members have private company links – Unite
One in four governing body members of NHS clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have links to private companies involved in healthcare, new research has revealed.
The study, carried out by the Unite union, has once again highlighted the potential conflict of interests that can be faced by board members.
Of the 3,392 CCG board members, 932 (27%) had a link to a private company. This included 513 company directors; 140 business owners; 105 external workers; 17 partners; 15 chairs; 10 company secretaries; five chief executives; one trustee; one financial officer; and 125 others including consultants.
This latest research comes just a week after 87 CCGs were approved to jointly commission GP services with NHS England, and 64 CCGs were given the power to take on greater delegated responsibility for GP services.
CCGs, which have responsibility for a combined budget of £65bn, are clinically led groups with GP representatives from their geographical area, managers and lay persons.
But Dr Ron Singer, chair of the Doctors’ section of Unite, said: “The Health and Social Care Act forced GPs into a business model that the vast majority did not want. Most GPs want to spend their time caring for their patients not tendering out services and being part of a bidding war.
He added that the government’s health act created opportunities for “exploitation” by some CCG board members.
In December 2014, NHS Clinical Commissioners (NHSCC), the Royal College of General Practitioners and the British Medical Association stated that unless the potential for ‘perceived’ and ‘actual’ conflicts of interest when CCGs procure services from their GP member practices are tackled early, there are fears it could affect the ability of commissioners to develop new models of care.
But NHE recently found that there are inconsistencies in how CCGs try to avoid conflicts of interest. For instance, a fifth of CCGs have required more than half of their board members to withdraw from a meeting because of conflicts of interest.
NHE has asked NHSCC for a comment on the latest Unite findings, but at the time of publication had received no reply.
Tell us what you think – have your say below or email [email protected]