Recovery plan to be outlined by health groups currently in '˜special measures'

Members of both bodies - the Horsham and Mid Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group, and the Crawley Clinical Commissioning Group - are warning that they have ‘difficult choices’ to make.

The groups are responsible for planning, buying and monitoring health services throughout the area.

They were placed in special measures and the groups’ chairman and clinical accountable officer resigned from their posts in August.

Fugures currently show that the Horsham and Mid Sussex CCG has a funding gap of £20.4 million and the Crawley CCG has a £7.51 million deficit.

Horsham and Mid Sussex CCG chairman Dr Minesh Patel, said: “ We have a clearer vision of the high quality services we are able to commission, using a wider range of resources where possible.

“We also know we have very difficult choices to make as to what our local NHS has the resources to do – we can do anything but we cannot do everything.”

And Crawley CCG chairman Dr Laura Hill, said: “We are positive that working as part of the NHS Central Sussex Commissioning Alliance will help us with the tough challenges we face, enabling us to work towards a stronger financial position, while ensuring we commission the most effective services for our patients.”

The two groups will finalise their financial recovery plan at a meeting at the Holbrook Club, in North Heath Lane, Horsham on March 15 at 1pm. Members of the public are invited to attend.

They are to review all spending and provide a comprehensive recovery strategy for 2018/19, ‘while maintaining patient care through new ways of working.’

They will also be reporting about the latest performance of local NHS services, including the care and treatment received at hospitals and in the community.