CSSs seek private help

Three Commissioning Support Service (CSS) organisations in Yorkshire have turned to the private sector to provide assistance during the development of CCGs in the region.

Private firms such as Attain have been sourced to bring commercial nous and expertise to the CSSs to develop new skills required as part of the reformed health service.

Attain, who will become a “strategic commercial and delivery partner” supporting North Yorkshire and Humber CSS, says it provides a service that “truly delivers for its customers”.

The firm has also been involved with South Yorkshire CSS providing “business planning expertise”; management experts KPMG have also joined forces with West Yorkshire CSS to provide “senior level commercial input”.

The cost of private sector support has not been revealed – however it’s reportedly in region of hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Previous reports on the development of CCGs in the region claim private sector assistance is needed to “increase capacity to undertake the work and provide senior level commercial input”.

Maddy Ruff, Interim Managing Director for North Yorkshire and Humber CSS, said the partnership with commercial firms was part of the organisation’s plans to tailor services for GPs. “We have been very clear from the start that if we are to make our service work, we have to adopt new ways of working and more business-oriented principles which put our customers, the clinical commissioning groups, at the heart of our operating model,” she said.

The DH has encouraged the support of external assistance during the development of CSSs and CCGs.