COMMISSIONING


Newcastle reports benefits since moving to Advanced Business Solutions


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patients? Will commissioning budgets be separate from practice budgets and, if they are, does this provide the necessary incentives to commission effectively? How will consortia be able to influence primary care if contracts are to be held by the NHS Commissioning Board? How much freedom will the commissioning board allow GP consortia, particularly given the risks in transition are significant? What happens, also, if a consortium does not meet the perquisites to be authorised?


There may, in fact, be a better way - a way in which we might achieve the benefits of improved performance and increased localism and clinical input, without another round of top- down restructuring.


First, the shackles should be taken off PCTs. They should be freed of interference from strategic health authorities (which the White Paper is right to abolish) and assessed by the outcomes they achieve not the processes they follow.


Second, to increase clinical input, GPs should be given increased statutory influence over PCTs and be able to take them


Nov/Dec 10


over, following a rules-based procedure.


Third, there should be a rules- based failure regime - a 90-day notice period where other PCTs or entrepreneurial groups of GPs have the option of taking over a commissioning organisation that is failing.


Fourth, PCTs should be free to change organisational form and governance structures - to merge and de-merge and, more radically, form as mutuals or cooperatives.


The coalition government spends much time talking of the Big Society and localism. True localism would permit a series of locally-initiated experiments in commissioning that could be learnt from rather than further centrally-initiated engineering that has failed the NHS throughout its history.


James Gubb is director of the health unit at Civitas, an independent social policy think tank


Civitas’ publications on the White Paper can be found at: www.civitas.org.uk/nhs


he Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust


has cut costs and is reporting a reliable service since moving to Advanced Business Solutions’ managed service. The trust’s Advanced Business Solutions financial management system with integrated document management (using Version One’s technology) is being managed at ABS’ service centre in Bridgwater.


Jim Clough, systems and project accountant from the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, says: “With budgets tight, ABS’ managed service offered a more economically appealing alternative to our existing service. We were also keen for the provider of our financial management system to fully manage it for us as they are in the best position to deliver a reliable and quality service. Our anticipated benefits have now been realised as we are experiencing a high level of service at a competitive price.”


With the FMS being fully managed and supported at ABS’ Bridgwater data centre, this removes the risks and costs


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associated with Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS having an on-site financial software system.


Clough explains: “With ABS looking after the day-to-day management and upkeep of our financial management system, this is a huge weight off our mind. We also don’t need to source and allocate internal IT resources as we have ABS’ experienced team at our disposal.”


The trust’s FMS users access the system through the NHS N3 network. They can then use the system exactly as if it was on-site: accessing, uploading and analysing financial information, producing reports and electronically creating, storing, retrieving, managing and processing financial documents.


Clough says: “It is crucial that we have the ability to access our financial management system five days a week, without interruption. An unreliable service would directly impact the running of the hospital. For instance, if we aren’t able to create purchase orders as and when required, we will be without vital hospital equipment, directly impacting patient care.”


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