Drive to shape county’s healthcare

AN EMERGING task force responsible for a budget of more than £340m to provide health services for 340,000 people in North Yorkshire will meet for the first time tomorrow.

By The Newsroom

Published 6th Feb 2012, 12:35 BST

The Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is a new organisation led by GPs which will take control of local NHS decision-making in the coming year as part of the Health and Social Care Bill. Covering a population of over 340,000, including Pocklington, Selby, Tadcaster, York, Ryedale and surrounding communities, it will take over a budget of more than £340m from April 1, commissioning a range of healthcare services from local hospital care to mental health.

The CCG’s first public and patient congress and Shadow Accountable Officer and Tadcaster GP, Dr Mark Hayes, claimed the consultations with the public are vital to shaping North Yorkshire’s future healthcare. He added: “The needs of those we seldom hear from are often greater than those who shout loudest and as a board of clinicians we must always bear that in mind.”

The first congress meeting will be held tomorrow at the Priory Street Centre in York between 10am and 3pm.

email [email protected]