Update on co-commissioning of primary care: guidance for ICB member practices and LMCs
Key points for ICB member practices and LMCs Full Guidance
1) Make sure you understand the different co-commissioning models and their
implications for your practice, including the benefits and risks of each model.
2) Engage your ICB Board. Discuss with them:
- What do they see as the benefits of delegated commissioning in your area?
- What are their views on holding and performance managing member GP
- contracts?
- What will the membership of “joint committees” and “primary care commissioning committees” look like? [See ‘What do the different cocommissioning models mean’ for more information on these]
- How will ICBs manage and mitigate the risks from conflicts of interest?
- What frameworks is your ICB putting in place for arbitration processes?
3) ICBs must consult their membership and obtain a mandate from members before making any decisions about co-commissioning and before submitting proposals to NHS England. GPC thinks this should take the form of a formal democratic vote of member GPs/practices.
4) ICBs should have consulted their LMC well in advance of making any decisions
about co-commissioning.
5) Any ICBs taking forward delegated commissioning must update their constitutions,
in collaboration with member practices.
6) If these steps have not taken place then your ICB should not be going forward with delegated commissioning. The deadline for applying for delegatedcommissioning in April 2017 is 5 December 2016.
