NHS England has recently published guidance on the procedures for CCG constitution change, merger or dissolution.
The guidance sets out the procedures to be followed by CCGs and NHS England in the circumstances of a CCG wishing to apply to NHS England to make changes to its constitution or to dissolve or two or more CCGs wishing to apply to merge.
For changes to constitutions the guidance provides that submissions should be made to the relevant regional director of operations and delivery by 1 June or 1 November each year. Only if the variation is essential to the CCG being able to undertake its functions lawfully and/or consequent on the dissolution of another CCG will NHS England consider a change outside these timescales.
As for CCG mergers NHS England will consider applications once annually on 1 June to come into effect from 1 April the following year. However applications for CCG dissolutions will be considered at any time of the year. This is on the basis that NHS England needs to ensure that the entire population is covered by a functioning CCG at all times.
For further information on CCG constitution change merger or dissolution you can read the Bulletin for CCGs: Issue 35 6 June 2013.