Welfare Reform on the Web (Summer 2003): National Health Service - Primary and Community Care

ALCOHOL MISUSES: WHY PCTS NEED TO HANDLE THEIR DRINK

E. Wooster

Primary Care Report, Vol. 5, May 29th 2003, p.22-25

The article discusses how primary care trusts could do more to tackle alcohol misuse by:

• systematically using screening tools to identify problem drinkers;
• implementing brief interventions for people drinking hazardously who are

  not yet dependent on alcohol;

• funding alcohol counsellors;
• collaboration with community-based anti-drinking initiatives.

BUILDING THE FRAMEWORK

D. Carlisle

Community practitioner, Vol. 76, 2003, p.202-203

The article discusses the need to build an evidence-base for "what work" in health visiting and the value of inter-agency working in provision of children's services.

ENDGAME BEGINS IN THE BATTLE FOR THE GP CONTRACT

N. Bostock

Primary Care Report, Vol. 5, May 29th 2003, p.4-7

The article reports continuing opposition amongst GPs to the proposed general medical services contract. Many may opt for the alternative personal medical services contract instead.

FAIR TREATMENT? A SURVEY OF DISABILITY ACCESS POLICIES IN PRIMARY CARE TRUSTS

J. Campion

London: Leonard Cheshire, 2003

The report finds that disabled people face significantly greater difficulties in accessing primary healthcare services than the general population. Man of these difficulties arise form inadequate communication, inflexible service delivery patterns and inappropriate attitudes about disabled people's abilities. Primary care trysts are failing many disabled people and have no plans to address this.

IS THERE A CASE FOR FOUNDATION PCTS?

R. Lewis

Primary Care Report, Vol. 5, May 29th 2003, p.26-27

Foundation status will be initially available to hospitals only with primary care organisations being excluded. The article argues that the benefits of foundation status should also be offered to primary care trusts. Foundation status would help PCTs to hold powerful hospitals to account.

JUST HOW CLUED-UP IS THE NATPACT WHEN IT COMES TO PCTS?

S. Prestwood

Primary Care Report, Vol. 5, June 11th 2003, p.28-29

The article discusses the role of the National Primary Care Trust Development Programme in helping primary care organisations to realise their potential.

MARKETING DRUGS

C. Meek

Health Which? June 2003, p.16-19

Drug companies aggressively market their products to doctors in order to maximise their profits. They are now seeking authorisation to directly market prescription drugs to patients in the UK and Europe. This practice is currently outlawed except in the USA and New Zealand. They are also suspected of inventing non-existent ailments to boost sales.

PAYING DOCTORS BY SALARY: A CONTROLLED STUDY OF GENERAL PRACTITIONER BEHAVIOUR IN ENGLAND

T. Gosdere and others

Health Policy, Vol. 64, 2003, p.415-423

The study evaluated the impact of the experimental introduction of salaried contracts in England on GP behaviour and quality of care. Ten practices of standard contract GPs were compared with ten salaried GP practices. GPs in salaried practices spent less time on practice administration but more working out of hours and in direct patient care, allowing more patients to be seen. Salaried GPs tended to provide shorter consultations and prescribe in fewer consultations but referral rates were similar. Total list sizes were smaller in salaried compared with standard contract practices, but lists per GP were higher because of staffing policies. However, none of these differences were statistically significant.

PHARMACISTS FREE UP THE FLOW OF BLOOD CLOT TESTING

M. Pownall

Primary Care Report, Vol. 5, June 11th 2003, p. 32-35

Pharmacies in the northeast are reducing pressure on hospital outpatient clinics by moving blood clotting activity tests traditionally performed in secondary care to a primary care setting.

SPEAKERS' CORNER

C. Lewis

Health Service Journal, Vol. 113, June 26th 2003, p.34

Discusses how better communication between GPs and hospitals could improve care for cancer patients.

WHY GENERAL PRACTICE NEEDS FOUNDATION FREEDOMS

N. Munro

Primary Care Report, Vol. 5, June 11th 2003, p.16-17

Over the past ten years, increasing centralised control and bureaucracy have demoralised GPs. The article argues that giving practices foundation status would boost morale, solve the GP recruitment crisis and improve services.