GPs report a lack of PCT support for commissioning
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Excessive bureaucracy is a barrier to commissioning |
GPs are committed to making practice-based commissioning work but believe that they lack support from primary care trusts, according to a survey of 257 GPs and practice managers carried out by the King's Fund and the NHS Alliance.
Although 73 per cent indicated they are firmly committed to the policy,
39 per cent reported a lack of support from their PCT and 23 per cent
believe financial constraints and short-term thinking are preventing
implementation. Excessive bureaucracy, meeting national targets and the
turmoil of restructuring were also cited as barriers.
The survey findings are published in a report “Practice-based commissioning:
from good idea to effective practice”, which makes several recommendations
to ensure consistent implementation of PBC. These include that PCTs should
establish an “innovation risk fund” that can be called upon
to underwrite the risk of innovative PBC plans that might otherwise be
put on hold in a risk-averse
environment.
Commenting
on the report, Georgina Craig, lead for commissioning policy
at the Company Chemists’ Association, said: “It should come
as no surprise that general practice is embracing PBC. It places practices
right at the heart of decision-making on the future
development of primary care and, as the main provider of primary care
services, that is exactly where GPs want to be.”
She added that the report is uncritical of PBC in its current form, whereas
the CCA believes that PBC would be more robust if the inherent conflict
of interest between practices’ provider and commissioning functions
were addressed and if it became a more collaborative process that ensures
engagement with the wider primary care team.
“Gordon Brown is looking for ways of increasing value for money
in primary care; he would do well to put PBC policy under the spotlight,” she
added.
Agenda for
2007 p611
|
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
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