A SENIOR figure in radical changes to health care services in Knutsford has spoken of the challenges facing the NHS.

Gerry Gray admits that one of the biggest tests is getting the message across that patients will have more choice under the new set-up and communicating how this works in practice. Mr Gray is deputy chairman of the governing body of the NHS Eastern Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which replaced primary care trusts (PCT) on April 1.

The CCG, encompassing 23 local GP practices, each with its own patient participation groups, will commission health services and be overseen by a national board responsible also for primary care.

Mr Gray said: “The CCG is an embryonic organisation facing major challenges in change management which is difficult in any circumstances, even more so when people’s lives are at stake and their well-being, so it’s a pretty sensitive area.

“The CCG will be more patient-centric, with patient choice at the centre of it. The delivery of that patient choice in the most efficient and effective way has been devolved quite far down in terms of the CCGs.

“It’s a membership organisation with professional managers working closely with clinicians, and so from an organisational and relationship perspective it’s a big management challenge.

“There’s also a big communication issue for the CCG that has to be managed in terms of letting the patients know they’ve a choice, and helping them make the most efficient use of that choice.

“In many situations in the past with PCTs, patients may not have been that aware of the options available to them in terms of where they wanted to be treated.

“Having said that, we have to be aware people might want to go round the corner to be treated because they want their relatives to be able to visit them easily, as opposed to going to places that might provide faster and more effective treatment. Therefore, that relationship with the patient is very important.”