DUDLEY borough's health chiefs will now take on added GP responsibility after its plans were approved by NHS England.

The approved plans will see Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) become one of the first CCGs in the country to take on a joint co-commissioning role.

This means from April 1 Dudley CCG will be in charge of planning, developing, delivering, monitoring and managing the budget, alongside NHS England, for GP services across the borough.

Dr David Hegarty, chairman of Dudley CCG, said: “For the majority of patients, their first, and often only, contact with the NHS is their GP.

“Building better GP services and wrapping improved community health care around those GP services is a key part of our vision for dealing with the challenges the NHS faces in the future.

“Co-commissioning will make it easier for us to shape these future developments and make them fit better with the services we commission from other providers such as the local hospital.”

Dr Jas Rathore, clinical executive of Dudley CCG, said: “We know our area, we know where GP services are most in need of improvement, we know the practices which are providing an outstanding service and can help to lead by example.

“Taking on a co-commissioning role will help us to make sure that our knowledge helps to shape future developments and protect the range of services currently on offer.

“It also helps us to ensure that there remains a local focus on primary care in Dudley, supporting colleagues in general practice to get the best services for local people.”