Press release: Emphasis on partnership means practice based commissioning will deliver real benefits for patients

23 Feb 2005

The NHS Confederation welcomes today's technical guidance for practice based commissioning by the Department of Health because it will allow PCTs and GP practices to work together to produce a system that will benefit all patients.

Jo Webber, NHS Confederation policy manager, said: "We are very pleased with this guidance, which tackles the concerns that we raised in the consultation regarding local flexibility, the tight timescale and financial implications for PCTs.

Its emphasis on creating a framework within which practices and PCTs can work together to ensure the local system suits their local needs is heartening. The risk-management system creates a common sense approach which should enable the three-year financial cycle for GP practices to co-exist with the year-on-year cycle that PCTs operate.

"Meanwhile, the decision to link practice based commissioning to 'Choose and Book' should provide a welcome incentive for GPs to engage with this important programme, which should improve access and give patients real choice about when and where their operation will take place."

ENDS

Notes for editors

The NHS Confederation represents the organisations that make up the NHS. Our members include the majority of NHS trusts, foundation trusts, primary care trusts and health authorities in England; trusts and local health boards in Wales; NHS boards and special boards in Scotland; and health and social service trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.
For a copy of the NHS Confederation's briefing on the "Choose and Book" programme, please visit /docs/briefing96.pdf

Contact details

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact media officer Chris Atkinson on 020 7074 3304.

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