Welfare Reform on the Web (May 2000): National Health Service - Community and Primary Care Services
THE ART OF GENTLE PERSUASION
B. Royce
Health Service Journal, vol.120, Feb. 10th 2000, p.28-29
GPs are crucial to the success of the government's NHS reforms, but there are few obvious incentives for them to act as managers. GPs will be under pressure from government to economise on prescribing and referrals to contain costs within budget, but will face conflicting demands from patients. Many believe the government will rush them into a salaried service if they do not co-operate with the reforms.
BEACON SITES FAIL TO IGNITE INTEREST
T. Agnew
Health Service Journal, vol.110, Mar. 2nd 2000, p.6-7
General practices and hospital trusts designated as beacon sites have failed to generate much interest in the rest of the health service. Beacons may be falling victim to a widespread distrust of political gimmickry.
BIRDS OF A FEATHER
B. Kennedy
Health Service Journal, vol.110, Mar. 2nd 2000, p.30-31
The North West Anglia Healthcare Trust which provides acute, community, mental health and learning disability services has been active in supporting the development of four primary care trusts in its area. All will start during 2000. Initially there were suspicions about the trust voting for its own demise, but it is important to focus on what is best for the clinical services rather than protecting the status quo.
CLINICAL GOVERNANCE IN PRIMARY CARE
T. Van Zwanenberg and J. Harrison (eds)
Radcliffe Medical Press
Looks at clinical governance from the perspective of the patient, clinical effectiveness and evidence-based practice, risk management and complaints, and personal/professional development.
END OF THE FAMILY DOCTOR MAY LEAVE PATIENTS AT A LOSS
J. Laurance
Independent, Feb. 23rd 2000, p.12
The British Medical Association's report, Shaping Tomorrow addresses the question of how patients will obtain primary medical care in the future. GPs are to discuss modernising the way they work, in particular the importance of continuity of care, at a conference in March.
(See also Guardian, Feb. 23rd 2000, p.8)
GPS FACE OUT-OF-HOURS SERVICE REVIEW
G. Jones
Daily Telegraph, Mar. 2nd 2000, p.2
Announces a government review of out-of-hours services operated by family doctors. The inquiry will focus on the quality of the out-of-hours service and whether NHS Direct should become the first port of call for patients and should decide whether they need to be referred to a GP, or a hospital, or whether they should treat themselves at home.
GPS ORDERED TO SPEED UP PATIENT APPOINTMENTS
J. Laurence
Independent, Feb. 3rd 2000, p.9
GP practices that choose to join a project led by the National Primary Care Development Team will be set the target of ensuring that 90% of patients are seen within two working days. They will also be expected to cut deaths from heart disease by 30% in three years and 50% in five years and to cut hospital waiting times by introducing booked appointments.
OLD TESTAMENT
M. Edwards and E. Roberts
Health Service Journal, vol.110, Feb.3rd 2000, p.30-31
PCGs need to address the needs of elderly people. Older people and their carers should be consulted about services. They can be enthusiastic participants in consultation initiatives.
THE PCG AGENDA: EARLY PROGRESS OF PRIMARY CARE GROUPS IN THE NEW NHS
Audit Commission
Audit Commission Publications, 2000
Suggests that the progress of PCGs is being blocked by restricted funds, time pressures and conflicts between local initiatives and central targets. Also suggests there is considerable scope for saving by the use of cheaper prescription drugs.
PIE IN THE SKY
R. Cannock and P. Miller
Health Service Journal, vol.110, Feb. 10th 2000, p.26-27
The government plans to use the national resource allocation formula to calculate funding for primary care groups. This produces weighted capitulation target payments derived from socio-economic and morbidity data from the 1991 census. The proposed formula is based on health needs, but these are difficult to define at practice level. Research applying the proposed formula to 199 practices showed it was more suitable for PCGs than individual practices.
PRIMARY CARE: ACTION RESEARCH IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS
B. Ainley et al
Community Practitioner, vol.73, 2000, p.470-472
Implementing clinical supervision in primary care is a challenging proposition given the structure and organisation of services. Article describes a collaborative project using action research and a pilot study to prepare the way for implementing supervisory relationships.
SOCIAL SERVICES AND PRIMARY CARE GROUPS: DELIVERING ON PARTNERSHIP
B. Hudson and H. Lewis
Managing Community Care, vol.8, Feb. 2000, p.11-12
Summarises the results of a postal survey aimed at identifying the nature of social services representation on PCG boards. Highlights the need to identify areas of interdependency upon which the partnership can develop most rapidly.
VISIONS OF PRIMARY CARE
T. Coffey et al (editors)
London: King's Fund, 1999
Authors anticipate changes in primary care to meet the challenges of the new millennium including: more user-friendly primary care; more integrated care, designed around the needs of individual users; easier access to care, arising from IT developments; an increasingly interdisciplinary primary care workforce; nurses with extended skills and responsibilities; continuation of the 'gate-keeping' role of primary care; greater integration of health and social services; and an increase in the range of services provided by primary care practitioners.