Doctors' surgeries in Wilmslow and Macclesfield will lead the way in the government’s plan to change the NHS.

The first 52 groups of GPs who will take the lead in commissioning health services include the 22 surgeries that make up the Eastern Cheshire Commissioning Consortium.

It has been named as a ‘pathfinder’ meaning that it will start working to manage the area’s budgets and commission services for patients directly.

The aim is that the pathfinder groups will be responsible for local commissioning decisions well before the April 2013 deadline.

But it is still unclear exactly what this means for Wilmslow’s patients.

Eastern Cheshire PCT spokeswoman Hilda Yarker said: "This is still very much embryonic and doctors in the area are not yet ready to discuss it in detail.

"It’s about services being commissioned depending on the needs of the local community with services closer to home. The patient will have more choice and be more engaged in their care."

"It’s early days and at a very formative stage, but we will be engaging with the community as soon as possible.

"The pathfinders will test the new commissioning arrangements to ensure they are working well before more formal arrangements come into place across the country."

Dr Paul Bowen, the chair GP for East Cheshire GP Commissioning Consortia, from Poynton, said he was delighted that the east Cheshire group has been accepted as a pathfinder.

"GPs are uniquely placed to understand how patients access services within the NHS and they can identify where opportunities exist to improve services,and they can protect services where people feel good care exists," he said.

"We plan to build an organisation that listens to our patients, involves them, and ensures that we make real differences to the way that health care is delivered closer to home, in a more coordinated and efficient way."

The 22 surgeries in the Eastern Cheshire Commissioning Consortium cover more than 200,000 patients and the PCT has said it is planning a public meeting in Macclesfield to discuss the Pathfinder developments.

Pathfinder surgeries - Macclesfield

  • Dr Tom Losel, Bollington Medical Centre.
  • Dr Helen Thomas of Chelford Surgery.
  • Dr Sarah Oliver and Dr Mark Bell of Cumberland House, Macclesfield.
  • Dr Mike Clarke, of High Street surgery.
  • Dr Paul Bowen of Mcllvride Medical Centre Poynton.
  • Dr David Morris, Park Green Surgery Macclesfield.
  • Dr Louise Hastings, Park Lane Surgery Macclesfield.
  • Dr Nyla Raja, Priorsleigh Medical Centre, Poynton.
  • Dr Wayne Maxwell, Schoolhouse Surgery, Disley.
  • Dr Anoopam Moar, South Park Surgery, Macclesfield.

Pathfinder surgeries - Wilmslow

  • Dr Edwin Thompson, Alderley Edge
  • Dr Helen Thomas, Chelford Surgery
  • Dr James Milligan, Handforth Health Centre
  • Dr Julia Huddart, Kenmore Medical Centre, Wilmslow
  • Dr Amar Ahmad, Wilmslow Health Centre