Health chief sets out priorities (From Gazette & Herald)

Health chief sets out priorities

2:02pm Wednesday 13th March 2013 in News

EARLY detection of cancer and improvements in heart and stroke treatment are among the priorities agreed by the new Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) for Scarborough and Ryedale.

The group, which comes into effect on April 1, comprises healthcare professionals and doctors, and takes over from the Primary Care Trust.

Its chairman, Dr Phil Garnett, said: “I am a firm believer that even when looking at ways to save money and create efficiences, if done properly, it is possible to maintain or even improve the quality of services.”

He adds in a CCG newsletter: “While I want people to be under no illusion about the extent of the challenges we face, I want to reassure them that our CCG will do all it can to keep any impact on patient care to an absolute minimum.

“I would like to reassure people that, with the wealth of experience from the GPs and other healthcare professionals in our governing body, and with involvement from local patients in the decisions we make, I feel we will be able to realise this belief.”

Dr Garnett added: “It is clear that some people are worried about the changes, particularly in the light of the huge financial challenges being faced by the NHS across North Yorkshire and York, at present.”

Other priorities which the CCG will be targeting will be care of the elderly and mental health issues.

The new CCG will represent 17 GP practices across the Scarborough and Ryedale area, and the 100 family doctors who work in them.