Practice-based commissioning in action
A new resource pack for GPs, 'Practice-based commissioning in action', has been created by the Department of Health in consultation with GPs, the NHS Confederation, NAPC and NHS Alliance. It contains a range of practical information on getting to grips with practice-based commissioning and real-life examples of PBC in action. A copy is being sent to every practice in the country. It can also be downloaded from the Department of Health website. The guide follows and builds on the Clinical Commissioning vision for PBC published earlier this year. It forms part of a wider drive to reinvigorate PBC and see it working to its full potential.
Practice-based Commissioning: delivering the vision
The vision for primary and community care set out in the NHS Next Stage Review (NSR) presents practice based commissioning (PbC) as a critical mechanism for transforming service quality and health outcomes for local communities. However, along with other commentators, the NSR also acknowledged that (with some exceptions) PbC is not yet achieving its full potential.
The PCT Network has been working closely with the DH to ensure members’ views and experiences help to shape the development of PbC policy.
Our discussion paper on Practice based Commissioning - Delivering the vision was produced following a seminar convened by the Network last this year, and forms part of our ongoing contribution to the debate. Our paper aims to refocus discussion on the outcomes PbC is intended to deliver, and the principles that need to underpin relationships between practices and PCTs.
The paper is designed to stimulate discussion and is not intended to be our final position statement on the subject. We would welcome your views on the vision and principles we have outlined, so that we can continue to feed these into policy decisions. Please feed your views to elizabeth.wade@nhsconfed.org
Practice based Commissioning development framework
The Department of Health has established a PBC Development Framework to provide SHAs, PCTs and Practice-based Commissioners (PBCs) with a one-stop shop for training and development to help them get to grips with PBC. The framework offers input from quality assured organisations that will help strengthen local support arrangements and skills for PBC, including organisational and leadership development, information analysis, business cases and patient and public engagement. For further information and supporting documents visit the DH website.