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HoC Answers - 27.01.12
GP Commissioning
Gordon Henderson (Conservative, Sittingbourne and Sheppey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to encourage pharmacists to become involved in the GP commissioning process in order for their opinions to be considered.
Mr Simon Burns (Minister of State for Health): The Government wants clinical commissioning groups to have the flexibility to engage with the full range of health and care professionals to support the design of pathways of care and to shape services. Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will be required to obtain appropriate advice from a broad range of professionals, which can include pharmacists. CCGs may also include pharmacists in their committees.
Subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill, the NHS Commissioning Board will be responsible for issuing guidance to commissioning groups (to which they must have regard) on their duty to obtain appropriate professional advice, for example in relation to working with multi-disciplinary clinical networks and senates.
Posted 27 January 2012