Croydon Health Services NHS Trust and NHS Croydon Clinical Commissioning Group have appointment a Joint Chief Nurse and Executive Director of Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals – the first senior management post shared across the Trust and CCG.
Both organisations also share a Joint Chief Pharmacist which has helped to improve the service patients receive, to get more seamless care between hospital and primary services, saving time and money.
Announcing their closer partnership, the Trust and CCG want to bring together more common functions – removing duplication and freeing-up resources for the frontline and to support clinical staff.
Mike Bell, Chairman of Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, said: “Both the Trust and the CCG have the same goals of making services better for patients and improving our support for staff. Bringing both organisations closer together ensures the best possible spend for the Croydon pound and free-up resources to support further quality improvements on the frontline.”
“Croydon is ahead of the curve in London to take forward the NHS Long Term Plan and has an amazing opportunity to ultimately bring the whole health and care system together to improve the wellbeing of all. Our two organisations have been in discussions for some time to identify areas where we can better work together to deliver real transformation for the people of Croydon. This proposed partnership is the next step on the journey towards broader alignment with our Croydon partners.”
Dr Agnelo Fernandes, a local GP and Chair of NHS Croydon Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “Croydon’s neighbourhoods have specific health needs which demand a distinct response, such as one in four older adults with a limiting long-term illness. We want to ensure people are well supported to live longer and better.”
“We are in a very strong position to increase the alignment between our two organisations for the benefit of local people. This year, for the first time since we were established in 2013, NHS Croydon CCG has had a financial surplus and so now is a good time for us to agree this shared control total so that we can make sure we invest every pound in the best and most efficient way possible.”
“Formalising our partnership between the Trust and CCG will lay the foundations for the full integration of health and social care in the borough to make Croydon a great place for people of all ages to live and thrive.”