The South Glos Post

The NHS has announced today that Stephen Harrison has been appointed chairman of the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust cluster.

The PCT cluster is the executive and governance function of the three PCTs for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, who collectively commission £1.5 billion worth of health services for their populations of around one million people. Mr Harrison was previously chair of NHS North Somerset, the local Primary Care Trust for North Somerset.

Deborah Evans, chief executive of the cluster said:

“I am delighted to welcome Stephen as chair for our cluster. He has already been doing an excellent job as interim chair and helping the three primary care trusts come together to work smoothly.”

“Stephen brings his wealth of experience from being chair at North Somerset and his previous council roles and I am glad to have him on board as we carry on the important work to get ready to hand over a well run health service to the Clinical Commissioning Groups in 2013. I would also like to thank the former chairs of NHS Bristol, Richard Weatherhead, and NHS South Gloucestershire, Melanie Gibbs, for all their much valued work and continued support during our transition into a cluster of PCTs.”

More: New boss was previously Chair of NHS North Somerset »

Source: NHS South Gloucestershire

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Stroke services for patients and their carers in South Gloucestershire have been rated as one of the best performing in England by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

In 2010, the Care Quality Commission completed a comprehensive review of stroke services across England. The review looked at the services commissioned by Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and local authorities across the entire stroke pathway. This included consideration of services provided at the onset of stroke in the acute sector, during rehabilitation and “life after stroke” services that are available in the community. The review also considered the support offered to the carers of people with a stroke and sought their views on the information that they were provided with.

Following this review, South Gloucestershire was rated as one of the “best performing” areas in the country. The review looked at 15 aspects of stroke care.

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Source: NHS South Gloucestershire

The GP consortium in South Gloucestershire is one of four groups of GPs in the South West that will take the lead in the Government’s plans for commissioning health services.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has announced that 52 GP consortia from across England have been selected to be the first to take on commissioning responsibilities as part of the Government’s plans set out in the NHS White Paper ‘Liberating the NHS: Equity and Excellence‘.

The groups selected, known as pathfinders, will work together and with their local Primary Care Trusts to manage their local budgets and commission services for patients direct with other NHS colleagues and local authorities.

A single GP consortium (South Glos Consortium Ltd) that represents all GP practices in South Gloucestershire has been in place for approximately 18 months. Since it began the onsortium has worked with all practices, NHS South Gloucestershire and hospital clinicians to develop services for patients and increase patient choice of treatment and where they receive it.

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Source: NHS South Gloucestershire

The NHS in South Gloucestershire is encouraging all patients at risk of complications from flu, particularly pregnant mothers and others under 65 years old, take up the offer of this year’s flu jab.

Dr Chris Payne, Director of Public Health for South Gloucestershire, said: “Do not underestimate seasonal flu. It is not the same as getting a cold and it can cause serious illness in patients who are at risk from complications.”

All GP surgeries in South Gloucestershire contacted patients who are eligible for the flu jab to invite them to attend a clinic. By the end of October, just 29% of those under 65 who have been offered the jab had had one compared with 35% last year.

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Source: NHS South Gloucestershire