The chair of Sutton CCG has spoken about taking over healthcare in the borough.

Sutton CCG is responsible for spending £209m on healthcare in the borough this year.

It replaces the old Sutton and Merton Primary Care Trust and will focus solely on the needs of Sutton.

The new system has been met with multiple criticisms including GPs "money-managing", conflicts of interest and moves towards the privatisation of the NHS.

However, Dr Brendan Hudson said he sees the changes as a great opportunity to put clinicians in charge of NHS commissioning and a way to shake off the old "bureaucratic, target driven and hierarchical system".

Sophia Sleigh interviews Dr Brendan Hudson

He said: "I do believe we will be the best position to help identify that need and to make sure their needs are met by commissioning services they require and monitoring and amending existing services to patients needs."

He said the NHS had constructed a firm system so doctors cannot personally profit through commissioning services.

When asked about whether GPs were a facade in order to allow NHS managers to privatise the NHS Mr Hudson said they had no agenda to privatise the NHS and he personally was a fervent believer in the NHS.

He added: "I know there are genuine fears about this and we do have to procure services as contracts run out and will take into account all the circumstances when we decide how to place contracts."