Andrew Mitchell has held discussions with the recently appointed Chief Executive of NHS Birmingham East and North, Andrew Donald. The meeting took place to discuss a range of subjects with the Chief Executive particularly focussing on health care provision in Sutton Coldfield. The MP also discussed the Coalition Government’s Health and Social Care Bill which is currently going through the House of Commons. The Bill plans to replace PCTs with Practice-Based Commissioning. Mr Mitchell also discussed the importance of local community hospitals. Andrew Donald has previously worked in a variety of roles both inside and outside the NHS over the last 30 years. Discussions focused on the development of Practice-Based Commissioning, the overseeing of the trust’s various partnerships, and the development of commissioning of services for people with long term conditions. NHS Birmingham East and North serves a population of 440,000 people including Sutton Coldfield. Andrew Mitchell MP said, “This meeting was helpful in ensuring that the views of many of Sutton’s GPs who I have recently met are properly reflected in the plans for the future.”