'Strong' case for commissioning regulation

Thursday 2nd February 2012

A "strong economic case" exists to regulate the commissioning and procurement professions in the same way as accountants and lawyers, it is claimed.

Doug Forbes, Chair of the Institute of Healthcare Management (IHM) Commissioning Division, said he is "disappointed" the governance of the commissioning and procurement professions has not been modernised.

"Given the complexities of EU Public Procurement law and the myth of exemption, clinical commissioners are heading for failure, only they don't realise it," he warned.

Should the commissioning and procurement professions be subjected to regulation, Forbes claims commissioning leadership "would soon emerge and develop", as people would be incentivised to get qualified, register and improve.

A lack of clear action in this area will mean the government's health reforms "will continue to fail", he said.

Your comments (terms and conditions apply):

"Kind of assumes people are not qualified doesn't it- based on what evidence? though I cannot think that this is news to anyone the whole process was set up to fail if it works MPs take credit when it fails GPs take the Flak – nothing new there" – Name and address withheld