Enfield’s healthcare crisis has deepened after the group which organises NHS services was put into “special measures”.

The Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has been put onto the newly created programme due to a critical shortage of money, having already been subject to direct NHS England “legal direction” since 2015.

Enfield CCG is one of 26 CCGs across England which has had its overall performance rated as inadequate by NHS England and NHS Improvement and is one of nine CCGs now in special measures having failed “to meet the financial discipline expected of the NHS.”

They had previously been set a target of £9.9m worth of cuts, but this year it has been raised to £17.1m.

The CCG have appointed a “director of recovery”, and have told GPs to only prescribe medication also available over the counter from pharmacies in special circumstances, which currently cost them £1m.

Enfield CCG will now have to put in place an “Improvement and Financial Recovery Plan”, which could see changes to the management of the group.

Enfield North MP Joan Ryan has called on the Government to “fix the crisis at the heart of Enfield’s health services”, and his written to health secretary Jeremy Hunt urging him to intervene. 

She said: “It is only a few weeks since my constituents learnt of the true extent of the crisis at North Mid Hospital, so the announcement that Enfield CCG has been placed in special measures will be a body blow to their confidence in our local health services.

“We are facing a perfect storm in Enfield at the moment – government cuts and under-investment in frontline services has left our NHS on its knees.  

“The government needs to take immediate action to address this situation and give my constituents the standard of care they so desperately need.”

Dr Anne Rainsberry, regional director for NHS England in London, said now CCGs across the country have received their end of year ratings, they have decided to intervene to make sure those under most pressure can function throughout the next year.  

She said: "This is part of an ongoing assurance process to ensure CCGs are in the best place to deliver high quality and safe health care at a time of increased financial pressure and rising demand.”

Dr Mo Abedi, chairman of Enfield CCG said they are being supported and are trying to make the necessary improvements.

He said: "Like all NHS organisations we are expected to ensure that high quality care is delivered within our financial resource limit. Enfield CCG is already working on implementing savings schemes.

"We are focusing on areas where we have evidenced opportunities that we can improve or maintain quality while improving patient outcomes and reducing spend or both. All projects that involve changing services for patients are clinically-led.”