DOCTORS and NHS managers in Herefordshire will take on a new role, helping to buy GP services for the area from next month.

Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) – currently responsible for buying secondary care – can begin “joint commissioning” of GP services after its application to do so was approved by NHS England.

The new responsibilities mean the CCG will work alongside NHS England to make decisions about which GP services to buy for the county, either through a joint committee or “committees in common”.

The CCG was one of 87 given the new ‘joint commissioning’ responsibility.

Last month, a further 64 CCGs were approved for ‘delegated commissioning’ powers, meaning that from April, more than 70 per cent of CCGs will take on new responsibilities for buying GP services in their area.

Dr Andy Watts, chairman of Herefordshire CCG, said: “It’s a huge boost to have our application for joint commissioning powers approved by NHS England and shows they have confidence in our ability to deliver on this critical work in the future.

“Primary care services, like dentists, pharmacists, opticians and GPs are, for many people, the first contact with healthcare services,” he said.

“Because of this, they can play a vital role in joining up healthcare to ensure we are giving the people of Herefordshire the care they need at the right time.

“We’re really thrilled to have this opportunity to start building a joined up system of healthcare across Herefordshire, providing the smoothest possible service.”

Confirmation of “joint commissioning” status comes a year after the CCG had reached a deal with Wye Valley NHS Trust over service funding, after several months of stand-off.

More than £6m was at stake with WVT, which delivers services, and the CCG, which commissions and pays for them, at odds over the correct funding of the community health services contract valued at £4.3m.