Gary Belfield

Director of Commissioning & System Management, DH

Gary Belfield is the Director of Commissioning in the DH Commissioning and System Management Directorate. Gary has over 20 years' experience in the NHS and DH. His previous roles have included Head of Primary Care in the DH, Chief Executive of a NHS Trust and the deputy CE of a Community & Mental Health NHS Trust.

In 5 years at the DH Gary has led the team who created the models for Practice Based Commissioning (PBC), Long Term Conditions (LTC) and new PECs. In his current role, Gary is responsible for developing a vision for World Class Commissioning (WCC) including identifying the key strategic competencies. His team are designing the earned autonomy model and identifying the incentives to underpin this. The creation of a development is the third strand of WCC with the overall aim of adding years to life and life to years for the population. This major piece of work will help support PCTs and professionalise commissioning. PBC continues to be a key policy in Gary’s portfolio and in August 2007 he took on responsibility to implement the framework for procuring external support for commissioners (FESC). Both PBC and FESC will play a key role in developing WCC.

Gary relishes a challenge and has a naturally positive outlook on life. Both aspects are thoroughly tested by his lifelong support of Manchester City!