Practice Based Commissioning (PBC) still failing to stir GPs
GP leaders, the government and primary care trusts have all ‘failed to inspire’ doctors to take up practice-based commissioning, according to an NHS Alliance report. The report, based on workshops with over 2,000 members, says the biggest problem has been the ‘lack of clear communication and leadership’ from the centre, strategic health authorities and PCTs. And it said frontline staff were confused about government policy on PBC and where it fits into the overall policy picture.
NHS Alliance chair Dr Michael Dixon said around one in five PCTs were understood to have signed up to PBC, ahead of the government’s end-of-year deadline.
Meanwhile, the restructuring of PCTs and efforts to claw back deficits meant they were unable to ‘commit the necessary resources to the implementation of PBC’. A majority of practices taking part in the workshops said they were still waiting for their indicative budgets.
The workshops revealed that information and data from PCTs on PBC is ‘typically poor, in the wrong format or does not exist’.
Dr Dixon said there was still a ‘hearts and minds issue’ about PBC engagement. He said many clinical staff ‘knew the government wanted them to do it and knew it was about saving money’ but had not been persuaded of the ‘enormous opportunity to make a big difference to services locally’.
Dr Dixon added: ‘GP leaders, PCTs, the Department of Health and government – all of us have failed to fully inspire our frontline GPs in a role that 10 to 15 years ago they were desperately up for.’
Fifteen workshops were conducted by the alliance between March and May, with two-thirds of the delegates from GP practices and the rest from PCTs.
Delegates predicted that PBC would lead to a more a more ‘adversarial’ relationship between commissioners and hospitals, hindering the development of clinical pathways.
GPs often cited ‘fear of competition from the large corporates and multinationals who may come in and provide new services’ as their reason for signing up to PBC.
The report concluded that even though delegates felt ‘frustrated and sceptical’ about PBC at the beginning of each workshop, enthusiasm grew when they realised how information on hospital activity and financial data could stimulate service redesign.
http://www.hsj.co.uk/nav?page=hsj.exclusive.news.story&resource=4999526
Despite bribing GPs with large pay rises and bonuses for meeting government targets as well as cutting the number of hours worked Labour's GP commissioning policy bribe will sink before it begins it seems that the usual lack of centralist leadership is not ingratiating themselves with the front line GPs.
NHS Alliance chair Dr Michael Dixon said around one in five PCTs were understood to have signed up to PBC, ahead of the government’s end-of-year deadline.
Meanwhile, the restructuring of PCTs and efforts to claw back deficits meant they were unable to ‘commit the necessary resources to the implementation of PBC’. A majority of practices taking part in the workshops said they were still waiting for their indicative budgets.
The workshops revealed that information and data from PCTs on PBC is ‘typically poor, in the wrong format or does not exist’.
Dr Dixon said there was still a ‘hearts and minds issue’ about PBC engagement. He said many clinical staff ‘knew the government wanted them to do it and knew it was about saving money’ but had not been persuaded of the ‘enormous opportunity to make a big difference to services locally’.
Dr Dixon added: ‘GP leaders, PCTs, the Department of Health and government – all of us have failed to fully inspire our frontline GPs in a role that 10 to 15 years ago they were desperately up for.’
Fifteen workshops were conducted by the alliance between March and May, with two-thirds of the delegates from GP practices and the rest from PCTs.
Delegates predicted that PBC would lead to a more a more ‘adversarial’ relationship between commissioners and hospitals, hindering the development of clinical pathways.
GPs often cited ‘fear of competition from the large corporates and multinationals who may come in and provide new services’ as their reason for signing up to PBC.
The report concluded that even though delegates felt ‘frustrated and sceptical’ about PBC at the beginning of each workshop, enthusiasm grew when they realised how information on hospital activity and financial data could stimulate service redesign.
http://www.hsj.co.uk/nav?page=hsj.exclusive.news.story&resource=4999526
Despite bribing GPs with large pay rises and bonuses for meeting government targets as well as cutting the number of hours worked Labour's GP commissioning policy bribe will sink before it begins it seems that the usual lack of centralist leadership is not ingratiating themselves with the front line GPs.
posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic at
1:33 PM
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