The Clinical Commissioning Group aiming to take on responsibility for leading  the area’s NHS from April 2013 has been confirmed as one of the ‘first wave’ of CCGs to face the formal authorisation process.

NHS Calderdale CCG will go through authorisation in July. Authorisation is a process to ensure that CCGs have met a series of benchmarks which prove they are able to assume their responsibilities for managing health care budgets for their local communities.

Dr Alan Brook, Chair of NHS Calderdale CCG said: “Authorisation isn’t an end in itself, but it will demonstrate that we’re on the right path in preparing to lead the local NHS and make the service the best it can be for local people”.

He added that being in the first wave of authorisation was a major step towards establishing NHS Calderdale CCG in readiness for next April. The Clinical Commissioning Groups are new, clinically-led organisations which will take over from Primary Care Trusts. They are based on a membership of constituent GP practices.

CCGs are the cornerstone of the Government’s Health and Social Care reforms which give frontline professionals a strong leadership role in commissioning NHS Services.