South West London CCG Annual Report and Accounts 2020/21

benefits. As part of this we are also working with practices, clinicians, and local people to understand the barriers to consulting virtually, to improve access for those who need it most and make sure we are always working to help reduce health inequalities. General practice will remain at the heart of the NHS, and we are taking proactive steps to support resilience as we move beyond the initial pandemic response, whilst at the same time making the most of opportunities to capture all the changes that have been beneficial to the NHS as well as patients to provide the best care in new ways. Commissioning healthcare in each of our six boroughs We commission health and care services for more than 1.7 million people across six boroughs in South West London. Within each of those boroughs, adjoining neighbourhoods can be made up of very different communities, each with their own set of needs and concerns. We also provide care to people who come into South West London for work or leisure, and our specialist services like cancer services at The Royal Marsden or renal services at St George’s treat people from larger geographies. Although we cover a large area, we are committed to working at place level and at neighbourhood level to make sure that the services we commission for our communities, especially those that suffer from health inequalities, meet the needs of each community and are accessible to everyone who needs them. Below is an overview of the population within each of our boroughs and their health issues and priorities: 16 | NHS South West London Clinical Commissioning Group