NAPC position statement

NAPC's core principles are that the NHS should continue to be funded from general taxation and that NHS services should be free at the point of use. NHS services should also be of a high quality and tailored to the individual health needs of patients.

NAPC believes that clinicians should lead the process of NHS commissioning and that commissioners should be accountable for securing the very best health outcomes, based on the health needs of their population, from the resources available. In securing high quality healthcare they should make decisions on the basis of what is best for patients, weighing up the needs of an individual against those of the population. NHS commissioning processes should be sufficiently flexible to meet local needs and should be inclusive of the widest possible range of clinical interests; commissioning arrangements must also ensure satisfactory accountability to local people. In meeting these duties, NHS commissioners and providers should seek examples of best practice from all available sources that would improve the health of their population.

The decisions as to which improvements to make and which provider to use should be taken on the basis of what delivers the best for patients. This same measure should be applied to any provider, whether in the public, voluntary or commercial sector. NHS commissioners should always seek to challenge the status quo, recognising the need to ensure adherence to the ever changing evidence base.

Throughout its existence, NAPC has promoted the view that accountability for the use of finite public funds should rest with those who make the decisions to commit those resources (for example, the GP in making a referral or writing a prescription). The Association's support for the concept of clinical commissioning was set out in its manifesto published in November 2009.

NAPC strongly supports the view that clinical commissioners should be actively enabled to achieve the best possible outcomes for patients and tax payers, through focusing on high quality commissioning and provision. The support available to enable excellence in commissioning should also deliver excellence in care, outcomes and value for money. NAPC takes the view that those organisations which provide excellent support for clinical commissioners could equally be within the public, voluntary or commercial sector - all of which should be available to clinical commissioners.

The development of clinical commissioners to become "informed customers" who are well positioned to make the best choices with their patients and the population they serve in relation to services provision is a critical success factor within the current NHS reforms.

Working with commercial partners

NAPC has three core aims:

• To promote the highest possible quality in the delivery of primary care services for patients
• To support effective and efficient clinical commissioning as a means through which better care will be delivered
• To support the development of clinical leadership within the primary care setting

To assist with the achievement of these aims, NAPC works with a range of commercial partners whose interests are within the healthcare sector. There are three reasons why NAPC has chosen to work with such partners:

• it enables NAPC to support implementation of successive governments' plans to broaden the range of organisations involved in the delivery and management of health care;
• partner organisations provide resources (including expert personnel, funding and specialist products) which would not otherwise be available; and
• they bring skills, knowledge and expertise which can be of direct benefit to NHS patients.
• NAPC will seek to test the ideas and plans of each commercial partner against the NHS' core principles to ensure that they are consistent with them and provide added value.

The agreements NAPC has with its commercial partners are unique to the individual partner organisation and are thus confidential but in general, each provides NAPC with resources which it is free to use as it wishes, in support of its aims.

A list of commercial partners working with NAPC can be founded via the following link:
http://www.napc.co.uk/index.php/napc-partners