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Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in Sefton have announced the dates of their first Governing Body meetings for 2016 and are encouraging anyone with an interest to go along.

The CCGs’ hold their bi-monthly Governing Body meetings in public, so people can hear them discussing and making decisions about local health services.

Doctors, nurses and other health professionals who make up the committees will discuss a range of issues including the performance of the services they commission, like hospitals and community care.

Rob Caudwell, local GP and NHS Southport and Formby CCG chair, said: “The Governing Body is a formal meeting and it’s a way for people to find out more about what we’re doing. They can also ask us any questions ahead of the meeting getting underway.”

Craig Gillespie, local GP and NHS South Sefton CCG chair, said: “The meetings are also a chance for residents to meet some of the doctors and other professionals that make up the Governing Body and to listen in on the discussions taking place.”

The NHS Southport and Formby CCG meeting will take place on Wednesday 27 January at Lakeside Christian Centre, Marine Drive in Southport at 1pm. Papers will be made available here beforehand: www.southportformbyccg.org.uk

The NHS South Sefton CCG meeting will take place on Thursday 28 January at Merton House, Stanley Road in Bootle at 1pm. Papers will be made available here beforehand: www.southseftonccg.org.uk

Anyone who is interest in attending is asked to call 0151 247 7000 to confirm their attendance.

Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) were created following the Health and Social Care Act in 2012, and replaced Primary Care Trusts on 1 April 2013. CCGs are clinically-led statutory NHS bodies responsible for the planning and commissioning of health care services for their local area. There are now 209 CCGs in England.

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