The PCT (and CCG as sub-committee of the PCT) is under a statutory duty to promote the health of the local community. They are also under a duty not to exceed their annual financial allocation. These legal requirements mean that, from time to time, difficult choices have to be made.
The PCT/CCG works as part of a South Central wide network as members of priorities committees. The purpose of these priorities committees is to advise the local NHS Health economy as to the health care interventions and policies that should be given high or low priority. In addition locally in Portsmouth there is the Strategic Overview and Priorities Panel (SOAPP).
Both the priorities committees and SOAPP help the PCT/CCG choose how to allocate its resources to promote the health of the local community.
A South Central wide ethical framework to support decision making has previously been developed. Given the changes in constitution and governance arrangements the CCG wishes to ask the Strategic Commissioning Committee to formally adopt and recognise the principles set out within the ethical framework and use these as the basis of its decision making processes for the future. For the purpose of this document priorities committees, PCTs, and CCGs will be referred to as the ‘Committees’.