Christmas 2016 - Looking ahead

Looking ahead

As we head into the Christmas period I want to take the opportunity thank everyone who has supported NHS Halton CCG in 2016.  I also want to acknowledge the contribution of everyone who has provided health and social care support to people in Halton - whether paid or unpaid - for their effort and commitment every day of the year.

There are many challenges that face health and care in the year ahead.  We have to deliver better health, better care and better value within increasingly scarce resources and against a background of rising demand and expectation.  There will be a need to take some difficult decisions and make some difficult choices about how we prioritise our spending as a commissioner.  There is also an opportunity to engage with local people about this and continue to work on ways in which we can encourage more self-care and promote wellbeing.

In April 2017 NHS Halton CCG will have been a statutory organisation for four years, and in November 2017 will have been active for six years.  Inevitably this means that changes will happen.  Next year we will say goodbye to our Chair, Chief Nurse and Chief Finance Officer who have decades of NHS experience between them and will be missed.  We have already appointed a new Chief Nurse and Chief Finance Officer, more on that in 2017.  Our member practices have also elected a new Chair, Dr David Lyon, who will take up post in April 2017.  Congratulations to David on his election, I look forward to continuing to work with him, albeit in a new role, in 2017.