Ricketts to open EHI commissioning event

Bob Ricketts, the NHS Commissioning Board’s director of commissioning support strategy and market development, will open EHI’s latest conference, Information for Commissioning.

The event, which will take place at the Royal College of General Practitioners in London on 15 May, has been established to focus on the IT and information needs of clinical commissioning groups and their commissioning providers.

Ricketts, who has worked in the NHS for more than 20 years and has led on the Department of Health’s choice, procurement and provider development policies, will provide the big picture on the direction of commissioning in England.

Further sessions will focus on the detail of the IT, information and analysis needs of the NHS’ newest organisations, and on how the most innovative CCGs are already starting to get to grips with the new agenda.

EHI director Linda Davidson said: “In just six weeks’ time, the shake-up of commissioning that was started by the Liberating the NHS white paper will finally take shape on the ground.

“Some 200 clinical commissioning groups and 20 commissioning support units will start work on 1 April with a huge task ahead of them to deliver on the government’s promise of better, safer and more efficient care for local health economies.

“Good IT systems, and innovative use of the information they collect and contain will be vital for these new organisations to deliver on that promise.

“Information for Commissioning will be an early and unique opportunity for everybody who wants to harness information to create truly new ways of working to see what is available – and what pioneer CCGs are already achieving.”

The conference will be supported by an informal exhibition showcasing the work of innovative suppliers. Its key themes include: creating new relationships between commissioners and IT teams; obtaining timely and accurate information; using information to support efficiency initiatives; developing integrated care services; and creating new e-services for patients.

Information for Commissioning will be closed by Ming Tang, director of data and information management systems at the NHS Commissioning Board, who has just been appointed from a role heading two commissioning support units.

EHI Information for Commissioning is a new event from EHI Primary Care, focused on the IT and information needs of clinical commissioning groups and their commissioning support providers. The event will take place on Wednesday, 15 May at the Royal College of General Practitioners in Euston Square, London.

To see the full programme and to book a place, visit the Information for Commissioning website. For information about exhibiting, contact Neil Hadland.