Clinical Commissioning Group

All Clinical Commissioning Groups  were statutorily abolished on 1 July 2022.

The definition has been retained for historical reporting.

Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) are responsible for implementing the commissioning roles as set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

Clinical Commissioning Groups are groups of GP Practices that are responsible for commissioning most health and care SERVICES for PATIENTS.

These groups of GP Practices, working with other healthcare professionals and in partnership with local communities and Local Authorities are responsible for commissioning the majority of NHS SERVICES for PATIENTS within their local communities. They have a duty to work with Local Authorities in relation to health and adult social care, early years services, public health etc.

The Clinical Commissioning Groups are not responsible for commissioning all SERVICES. They have the flexibility to decide which commissioning activities they undertake themselves or choose to buy in commissioning support from external ORGANISATIONS.

NHS England and NHS Improvement:

• has established a system of Clinical Commissioning Groups with the power to assign GP Practices to Clinical Commissioning Groups if necessary
• has allocated budgets directly to Clinical Commissioning Groups
• holds Clinical Commissioning Groups to account.

Clinical Commissioning Groups hold their constituent GP Practices to account for stewardship of resources and the outcomes they achieve. 

For further information on Clinical Commissioning Groups, see the NHS England and NHS Improvement website at Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).