Welcome to CATCH

What is CATCH?

CATCH (Cambridgeshire Association to Commission Health Ltd) is a Local Commissioning Group (LCG) within the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Shadow Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

CATCH is comprised of 28 practices with a patient population of around 220,000 who are represented by an elected committee consisting of GPs, Practice Managers and a patient representative. We are currently the largest LCG within the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG. Because of our size we have a sub-locality structure with 5 groups. These are groups of practices within CATCH who have similar interests, practice populations and aspirations. We will continue to build on the success of this structure in the future.

CATCH is working hard to ensure that the new commissioning arrangements (that is how health services are purchased) which are being implemented under the NHS reforms, will maximise potential benefits for patient care. Our key challenges continue to be managing our budget and maintaining high quality health care.

What are Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) and Local Commissioning Groups (LCGs)?

Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are groups of GPs that from April 2013 will be statutory bodies and be responsible for designing local health services in England. Every GP practice will have to be a member of a CCG.

Local Commissioning Groups (LCGs) are smaller groups of GP practices with a focus on more local issues than the CCG. CATCH will be one of 8 LCGs within the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG.

What does CATCH do?

CATCH supports clinical commissioning. We continue to work to achieve our objective of commissioning high quality services - and improving people’s health in the Cambridge area.

We are doing this by working closely with our colleagues in primary and secondary care, community services and NHS Cambridgeshire and our neighbouring LCG’s, especially Cam Health. Our focus is to redesign and improve patient pathways.

We are also working with Local Health Partnerships in Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council to provide a joint approach to improving health and services.

Last, but not least, we want to increase involvement of patients and public in the commissioning process, as their views are vital in ensuring that services meet the needs of the population.

How you can get involved

CATCH Patient Group

The Cambridgeshire Association to Commission Health (CATCH) is forming a Patient Group. This will be made up of a patient from each of our member practices and will help to ensure that the voice of the local population for which CATCH commissions/buys health services, is heard.

Most of our practices now have a patient representative for this group, however representatives are still being sought to represent a number of practices (Cambourne, Bar Hill, Melbourn, Bourn, York St).

If you would be interested in being one of these patient representatives, or just want to find out more about the role of the patient group, please go to the Patient Engagement/Patient Participation Groups page

email: c-pct.catch@nhs.net.

Page last updated on 27 February 2013