Commissioning


Book Description

Commissioning : Fourth report of session 2009-10, Vol. 1: Report, together with formal Minutes




Values-Based Commissioning of Health and Social Care


Book Description

The book, illustrated with case examples, identifies and makes explicit the often diverse values of those involved in healthcare commissioning, whether as commissioners, providers or users of services. It provides a skills base and other support processes for working with differences in values held by those engaged in making decisions.




Changes to Primary Care Trusts


Book Description

NHS Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) were created in 2002 to commission health services for their local populations, and are currently responsible for controlling about 80 per cent of the £76 billion NHS annual budget. In addition, PCTs have responsibility for public health, and many also provide community-based health services such as district nursing and community hospitals. The Committee's report examines the Government's proposals (set out in the Department of Health paper 'Commissioning a Patient-led NHS' published in July 2005, which can be downloaded at http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/11/67/17/04116717.pdf) to cut the number of PCTs and to contract out community health services by the end of 2008. The report raises a number of serious concerns about the proposals, including in relation to: failings in the consultation process; the impact of PCT restructuring and divestment of provider services; and the likelihood that the estimated financial savings of £250 million will be achieved.




Values-Based Commissioning of Health and Social Care


Book Description

Health and social care commissioning is a values-driven as well as evidence-driven enterprise. However, whereas there has been an expectation that the evidence-base of commissioning should be made fully explicit, the corresponding values-base has been left largely implicit. The book addresses this subject through a detailed discussion of values and values-based practice, illustrated with case examples, and by developing a critique of existing commissioning. This approach enables commissioners to identify and make explicit the often diverse values of all those involved, whether as commissioners, providers or users of services. It provides a skills base and other support processes for working with differences in values held by all those engaged in making commissioning decisions. This will be essential reading for doctors, both experienced and in training, commissioning managers, professional staff in NHS Foundation Trusts and the private sector and all 'at the sharp' end of practice.




Towards Managed Primary Care


Book Description

The last decade has witnessed a transformation in the organization and management of primary care. In Towards Managed Primary Care, the authors examine the background and development of Primary Care Groups and Primary Care Trusts (PCG/Ts) in the English NHS. The book focuses on the practical experience of developing and managing PCG/Ts and on the lessons that can be drawn from this for future policy relating to the management and evaluation of such organizations in the UK and elsewhere. The work: ¢ Provides an overview of the background to the development of PCG/Ts in England, set within the context of international developments of similar primary care organizations; ¢ Examines the organization and management of PCG/Ts; ¢ Analyses the impact of PCG/Ts on the provision of health services and on the wider health system; ¢ Explores the challenges inherent in carrying out research into primary care organizations; ¢ Focuses on the future development and evaluation of primary care organizations. With chapter conclusions setting out evidence-based lessons for developing and researching primary care organizations, this book will be an invaluable guide for all those interested or involved in health policy, health services research and primary care organization and management.




The NHS in the UK


Book Description

With expert commentary in an easy-to-read format this pocket guide gives you all the information you need about the NHS. Fully revised, the 2007/08 edition is an essential digest covering NHS organisations, financing and partnership work as well as updates on the latest developments within the NHS.




Public Health and Primary Care


Book Description

This book is written for people working in primary care, who want to understand more about how they contribute to improving the health and health care of the populations that they serve, and for people working in public health, who want to understand the essential contribution of primary care to improving health. It sets out the nature, purpose and relevance of public health approaches to primary care practitioners and primary care organisations. Primary care teams have had a long established role in public health, providing preventive services to populations, through the registered population in general practice. This model of a registered practice population has withstood multiple reconfigurations and reorganisations within the NHS and is the envy of many countries trying to create a public health system with primary care at its heart. There are clear differences in approach, with the inevitable conflicts between the rights of the individual set against the responsibility to ensure services are delivered fairly and equitably to whole populations. This book explores this dilemma, showing how people working in primary care can cross the divide to become part of the public health system, and in doing so are well placed to make a difference to the health of their populations.




Providing Diabetes Care in General Practice


Book Description

This practical handbook, now in its fifth edition, addresses how to provide health care for people with diabetes in the primary care setting. It includes education checklists, sample letters for patient recall and templates for patient record cards.




NHS Next Stage Review


Book Description

This report from the Health Committee examines Lord Darzi's final report of the NHS Next Stage Review (NSR), "High quality care for all" (2008, Cm. 7432, ISBN 9780101743228). The Committee warns that primary care trusts (PCTs) are not yet capable of carrying out the reforms, and highlights insufficient analytical and planning skills and variable management quality within PCTs. Poor PCT commissioning and the failure of successive reforms to enhance it mean that implementation of the reforms may be slower and more uneven than expected. The Committee calls on the Government to publish and rigorously monitor milestones for each stage of implementation and says greater clarification is required on the role of practice based commissioning, which at present remains opaque. More emphasis needs to be placed on the importance of recruiting and developing better managers and the issue of weak management skills in this area should be tackled. Not enough detail about cost is given in the NSR and the Committee is concerned that neither Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) nor the Department have been clear on where and how much money will be saved. Figures on implementation costs for individual SHAs and PCTs should be published as soon as possible. While the focus in the NSR on improving quality of care is welcome, variations in quality have been known about for a long time and have continued despite increased funding. The Committee is not convinced by the Department's argument that all PCTs should have a GP-led health centre and recommends that their creation should be decided locally on a case-by-case basis.




Rheumatology E-Book


Book Description

Rheumatology is an indispensable resource for physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other health professionals, offering practical approaches to the treatment and management of rheumatic musculoskeletal conditions. The text focuses on applying evidence-based understanding of these conditions to clinical context. The specific disease chapters cover: incidence and prevalence of the condition; clinical presentation and diagnosis; red flags; clinical assessment; important first treatments, early intermediate and long term management; prognosis and long term outcomes. Supporting case histories of increasing complexity and study activities illustrate the clinical relevance of the treatment and management approaches. • Multidisciplinary team approach • Practical solutions to management of conditions supported by the latest research • Case histories of increasing complexity consolidate understanding and develop clinical reasoning • Highlighted boxes throughout contain study tasks and key messages