When it came to power in 1997 the Labour government committed to reducing health inequalities, and made extra funding available to those primary care trusts (PCTs) in areas of the country with the worst health and deprivation indicators (Spearhead areas). The General Medical Services contract introduced a pay-for-performance scheme known ...
Patient choice, particularly the choice of hospital, has been at the heart of health policy for a number of years. The aim of this policy is to create competition, which in turn drives improvements in quality; for this to work effectively, patients have to make their choices on the basis ...
This paper is one of a series prepared for the inquiry into the quality of general practice in England commissioned by The King’s Fund. The specific focus of the inquiry is to examine the role of general practice and the quality of the services it provides. The focus of this ... and This paper was commissioned by The King's Fund to inform the GP Inquiry panel. The views expressed are those of the authors and not of the panel.
Unhealthy behaviours - smoking, alcohol misuse, poor diet, lack of exercise - lead to ill health, with resulting costs to individuals, to the NHS and to society as a whole. PCTs are expected to commission support to help people change their behaviour to adopt healthier lifestyles - but what should ...