Primary care division closed

The Department of Health has dissolved its primary care division and its previous head, Kathy Doran, has left the DoH to become chief executive of Birkenhead and Wallesey primary care trust.

The division was dissolved at the beginning of the month and its functions have been shared among several directorates: a new access directorate incorporating primary and secondary care, human resources, and the directorate of external and corporate affairs.

Ms Doran's replacement will work with Dr David Colin-Thomé, national clinical director for primary care, who will also chair a new primary care policy board which will oversee and co-ordinate primary care policy.

Work on the new GP contract and recruitment and retention of primary care staff will be integrated with equivalent work on hospital doctors and other staff across the directorates.