Welfare Reform on the Web (May 2007): National Health Service - primary and community care

Doctor knows best?

C. Seneviratna

Community Care, Apr. 12th-18th 2007, p. 30-31

Government has proposed that GPs and their primary care colleagues should purchase social services directly for their patients. This proposal has been made with no extra funding attached, except for £8.9m to get the scheme running in the poorest areas. The proposals may therefore be more aspirational than practical.

DoH calls in librarians and web to boost patient choice uptake

V. Vaughan

Health Service Journal, vol. 117, Apr. 12th 2007, p. 5

The NHS Choices web site to be launched in July 2007 will include searchable directories of hospitals, GP surgeries and care homes; data on waiting times, cleanliness and readmission rates for NHS hospitals; access to a library of approved medical literature; multimedia guides to 20 long term conditions and 40 of the most common medical procedures; individual and family health risk assessments based on age, sex and location; and information on how to stay fit. Patients referred by their GP will also be able to book hospital appointments online at their local library with the support of trained staff.

The provision of primary care interventions by community health support workers in Pakistan

S. Smith, A. Kelly and G. Randhawa

Community Practitioner, vol. 80, Apr. 2007, p. 18-21

Skill mix and role redesign have changed the face of the primary care workforce in the UK in recent years. In areas with minority ethnic communities, support workers with language skills and cultural knowledge have been employed to provide health care. Although the role is relatively new to the UK, countries like Pakistan have a long history of employing community health support workers. This study seeks to learn from Pakistan’s experience and to apply the learning to the UK context.