All Commissioning articles – Page 231
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CommentPaul Corrigan: world class commissioning
The Department of Health launched the second year of the world class commissioning process in mid September.
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NewsPCTs show improvement in annual health check but a slide in excellence
Primary care trusts have improved their overall performance in the 2008-09 annual health check but have slipped back on achieving excellence.
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NewsGP commissioning shows little sign of life - David Colin-Thomé
The government’s primary care tsar has admitted that efforts to “resuscitate” the “corpse” of practice based commissioning have had little effect.
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HSJ KnowledgeHow to increase BME access to psychological therapies
A programme to improve access to psychological care is reaching into BME communities, reports Stuart Shepherd
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NewsPhil Hope hails personal health budgets
Health minister Phil Hope has been in Devon to promote personal NHS health budgets that allow patients to choose for themselves the support services they receive.
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HSJ Knowledge
Polysystems
GPs will increasingly call the shots about how and where money is spent in the local health economy, says Conor Burke
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News‘Clunky’ GP contracts raise questions on quality
There are huge variations in what different PCTs pay for the same services, yet there is no detectable correlation between cost and quality or patient satisfaction. Sally Gainsbury looks at why commissioning has not yet addressed these stark contrasts
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CommentSophia Christie on getting the best from GPs
Successive governments have attempted to engage primary care in commissioning in recognition of the sector’s vital role in demand management.
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CommentAndrew Lansley on a Conservative recipe for NHS reform
Competition, choice and clinician power: the shadow health secretary lists the ingredients that he would use to make NHS outcomes the best in the world
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NewsTwo thirds of PCTs still to agree provider model
Two thirds of primary care trust provider arms have not yet had their future form agreed by their board and strategic health authority, a survey suggests.
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LeaderAndrew Lansley and NHS managers must face hard truths about cuts
The policies which shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley outlined to this week’s Conservative conference are not the answer to the exam question he will be set - save £20bn.
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NewsAmbulance trust wins £10m boost
West Midlands Ambulance Service Trust has been given a £10m funding boost this year after an external review found more resources were needed to meet growing demand.
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NewsMost PCTs meet only ‘minimum requirements’ on resources use
The majority of primary care trusts are meeting only “minimum requirements” in their use of resources, the results of the Audit Commission’s annual test have shown.
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NewsPCTs neglect value in general practice
Primary care trusts are doing little to tackle the huge variation in the cost and quality of their GP services, the results of a confidential internal NHS survey suggest.
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LeaderSHAs face an uncertain destiny as political friends desert them
Are strategic health authorities staring into the abyss?
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CommentStephen Eames on defending district general hospitals
Reconfiguration of acute and community services is bound to be on the cards again, once the dust has settled on the autumn QIPP and Monitor downside submissions.
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CommentDavid Stout on the NHS public profile
Some decisions will always be unpopular, so PCTs must improve their reputation by ensuring that all decisions are seen to be transparent, efficient and fair
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NewsChoice of male or female GP still unequal
Variations between primary care trusts in the quality of their GP services and how easily patients can access them remain stark.
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NewsCan the Conservatives mix cutting and caring?
Editor Richard Vize discusses whether the health policies of a Conservative government would deliver the right improvements for the NHS long after the applause of the voters has faded away
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NewsGP contract: 'clunky’ deal holds back quality
Primary care trusts blame the “weak and clunky” GP contract for slow progress on improving quality in primary care and unacceptable variations in cost.