Healthcare watchdog to cross-check NHS performance as trusts make declarations on standards

The Healthcare Commission has said it will carry out a thorough check of the accuracy of NHS trusts’ declarations on how they have performed in meeting the government’s standards for healthcare...

NHS performance is improving, says Healthcare Commission

The Healthcare Commission has published performance ratings for all NHS trusts in England, showing overall improvement in quality of services and use of resources...

Achieving savings in commissioning controversy

After an unparalleled period of funding and growth, the NHS is now looking to make large scale efficiencies and one of the first places to start is the commissioning process. Richard Mackillican talks to Mike Ramsden

Commissioning is a controversial subject at the best of times but even those who espouse the value of commissioning in the NHS are saying that there is room for...

Coalition Government plans to hand real budgets to GPs ‘could help the NHS save money’

Plans to give GPs power and responsibility for holding real budgets and commissioning health services have the potential to help improve care, but will need time and careful design if they are to be successful.

That is the verdict of six national organisations that have joined forces to inform the Coalition Government’s aim of fully devolving commissioning power to GPs. They have published a new report...

The time to set up GP consortia is now

GP commissioners and PCTs should get their GP consortia up and running as soon as possible, according to Dr Michael Dixon, chairman of the NHS Alliance.

This was his message whilst addressing 180 future GP commissioning leaders in the North East, at the NHS Alliance/APEX North East PBC Regional Event. Delegates included GPs, practice managers, PBC leads, cluster managers, LMC members and PCT managers...

Weak role of GPs is undermining maternity care

GPs’ lack of involvement in maternity care is undermining the care of pregnant women and their families, according to a report published for The King’s Fund’s Inquiry into the Quality of General Practice in England.

GPs’ role in maternity care has all but disappeared over the past 30 years, with recent policy and guidance omitting any reference to their role in caring for pregnant women.

Under the terms of the new GP contract introduced in 2004...

Second year world class commissioning scores show significant improvement by PCTs 

Figures from the second year of the world class commissioning programme show major improvements have been made by primary care trusts  in strategic planning, financial control, engagement with local communities, and procurement and contracting skills.

An examination of the majority (146 out of 152 PCTs) of PCTs’ world class commissioning panel...