East London's new 'super' primary care authority

New NHS East London & City takes over primary care and public health

Mike Brooke Tuesday, April 3, 2012
7:00 AM

All NHS primary care trusts across east London have been merged into a single health authority this week.

The new NHS North East London & The City took over on Sunday from the seven care trusts of Tower Hamlets, Hackney and The City, Newham, Waltham Forest, Barking & Dagenham, Redbridge and Havering.

It is responsible for developing the Government’s controversial clinical commissioning groups over the next 12 months, after legislation got through Parliament.

Its statutory responsibility for purchasing healthcare runs until April next year, when full responsibility goes to NHS clinical commissioning groups under the new Health & Social Care Act passed last month.

The new organisation for east London is also responsible for GP, pharmacy, dentistry and optometry services as well as public health.