News Item
More patient choice on community services
Residents living in Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield are soon to have more choice in when and where and who provides some community based services.
The initiative is part of the Government’s commitment to allow patients who are referred for a particular service, to be able to choose from a list of qualified providers. That’s providers who meet NHS standards for quality, care and value for money
During September and October we asked local patients, patient groups, members of the public and other stakeholders for their views on which services they would like to see more choice of providers in.
Ann Ballarini, Executive Director of Commissioning and Service Development for NHS Calderdale, NHS Kirklees and NHS Wakefield District Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) said: “You may be aware that the three PCTs in Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield have come together to form a ‘cluster’. We are known as NHS Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield District. Some of the services chosen by the survey respondents are across all three PCTs (cluster-wide) and some are local to a particular PCT.”
Based on the response to the survey and further prioritisation and benefits appraisal carried out by the Cluster in partnership with our emerging Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) , the following services will now be opened up to any qualified provider in 2012/13:
• Adult hearing services in the community (Wakefield District, North Kirklees, Greater Huddersfield, Calderdale CCGs)
• Diagnostic tests closer to home (Wakefield District, North Kirklees, Greater Huddersfield, Calderdale CCGs)
• Primary care psychological therapies (adults) (Calderdale CCG)
“The CCGs will now press ahead with opening up the services above to any qualified provider. This will increase the choice for local patients. We will keep you up to date with developments. We would like to thank all the local groups who helped us to publicise and distribute the survey, and to everyone who completed it,” added Ann.
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