This website tells you about some important changes that are being made to the way that the NHS will work in the future, which mean that your GPs will have much greater say over what health services are available for local people.

Newcastle West is a Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) that brings together a powerful partnership of 17 local GP practices covering the west of Newcastle upon Tyne and a population of around 127,000 people.

Commissioning is the process of assessing local health needs, identifying the services required to meet those needs and then buying those services from a wide range of healthcare providers, which can include hospitals, community-based services; ambulance services and a variety of voluntary and community sector organisations. The government is introducing clinical commissioning because it believes that front-line clinicians, such as doctors and community nurses, are closer to patients and know better what health services they need.

From April 2013, Newcastle West Clinical Commissioning Group will be responsible for making sure that health services are available to meet the needs of their patients. Until then we will be working closely with Newcastle Primary Care Trust to gradually take on these responsibilities.