All Commissioning articles – Page 232
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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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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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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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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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NewsCornwall PCT looks for leader as another chief goes
Cornwall’s primary care trust and hospital trust are both looking for new chief executives.
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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.
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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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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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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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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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LeaderSHAs face an uncertain destiny as political friends desert them
Are strategic health authorities staring into the abyss?
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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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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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HSJ Knowledge
Mental health roadmap
The primary aim of world class commissioning is to improve the skills of primary care trusts to make them more effective commissioners. The 11 WCC competencies focus on the key areas required of PCTs, but some areas are inevitably more developed than others.
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HSJ Knowledge
Staff engagement
Ricardo Semler is a well-known businessman in Brazil. Back in the 1990s, when the Brazilian economy took a nosedive, he had to think about how his company, Semco, could survive.
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NewsAlan Milburn attacks Andy Burnham for making NHS the preferred provider
Former health secretary Alan Milburn has attacked Andy Burnham’s decision to move away from competition and make the NHS the “preferred provider” of services.
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NewsAndy Burnham promises to protect primary care budgets
Health secretary Andy Burnham has promised to do “everything he can” to protect primary care budgets from public sector spending cuts.
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NewsMike O'Brien tells SHAs to 'justify their existence'
Health minister Mike O’Brien has called on strategic health authorities to “justify their existence”, saying more of their budgets should be devolved to commissioners.
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NewsAndy Burnham’s preferred bidder pledge questioned
Questions have been raised over the implications for competition and world class commissioning of health secretary Andy Burnham’s statement that the NHS is the “preferred provider” of services.
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LeaderAndy Burnham speech delivers body blow to NHS competition and choice
The government’s commitment to choice and competition is unravelling.