This post is the second of the week exploring the role of the NCB. The NCB published its own development plan for consultation in July. It is an organisation of immense power which, if it continues to develop as it plans, will control local NHS commissioning very tightly.

Those who are familiar with NHS culture will not find this surprising. Traditionally it has always looked toward the centre for instruction and the NCB is the latest manifestation of how that central control moves into commissioning. When the power of the NHS ran through its control of secondary care provision – its centre was run through its ownership of all of those hospitals.