A bitter pill: How pharmacy cuts could destabilise your CCG

The Commissioning Review 2016 spring issue is now available online and in print.

The lead interview is with Sir Muir Gray, director of Better Value Healthcare. Gray discusses the importance of morale and commissioning for the population.

The main feature discusses the £170 million cuts to pharmacies. The piece, by freelance health reporter Lawrie Jones, looks at how this will affect clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), the whole of primary care and patients.

The magazine has 12 insight pieces giving a view into how clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are working across the country.

The seaside town of Blackpool is now under one of Simon Steven’s, chief executive of NHS England, new models of care. The Fylde and Wyre CCG and Blackpool CCG have joined forces to enhance primary care services in the area.

Physical and mental health are currently at the forefront of commissioning and healthcare. Chris Naylor, senior fellow in health policy, from The King’s fund, looks at how a recent King’s Fund report explains where this divide has been healed.

Now that devolution has come into full force in Greater Manchester what plans does it have in store for the future and what will other areas across England as freedom from Whitehall seems to be at reach? Lawrie Jones, freelance health reporter finds out.

Professor Ruth Chambers, GP and clinical telehealth lead for Stoke on Trent CCG offers a case study on how managing health with mobiles has made a difference to patients.

Jane Hawkard, chair of NHS Clinical Commissioners National Ambulance Commissioners Network and chief officer of NHS East Riding of Yorkshire CCG provides a summary of key points and recommendations raised in the paper, Developing an ambulance strategy: Five Year Forward View and beyond.

To see the full issue click here.