Jump to content

Greater role for GPs and reduced role for PCTs in England


Recommended Posts

I wonder if this morning's announcement that GPs in England will be given much more of a role in spending health funding, and a reduced role for (and restructuring of) Primary Care Trusts, will have an impact on mental health. Does anyone know if the referral system to psychologists within the mental health PCTs will still continue under these proposals, and does the new system rely on GPs being knowledgeable about anxiety disorders etc., or is it still too early to tell?

Edited by Stephen
Link to comment

I have great concerns over this Stephen and I will be once again re-ittering my invitation to Mr Lansley. My first concern is as you say are GP's knowledgeable enough to decide where funding should be prioritised, but more important there time should be spent seeing patients, not more paper pushing and meetings about funding.

Hospitals are to be moved out of the NHS to create a "vibrant" industry of social enterprises under the proposals.

The move will lead to the abolishing of 10 strategic health authorities and 152 management bodies known as primary care trusts.

The new structure will be held accountable by an independent NHS board which would be free from political interference, the government said.

The system is not particularly good at the moment, but things were improving in some regions and there was a clear responsibility for success of failure within each area. I have no problem in getting rid of bureaucrats to giving more to frontline services, but is that going to happen? I seriously question that. At the moment I can not see the benefit of getting rid of Trusts, who will then be held accountable for lack of funding within specific areas of health within each region?

As for taking hospitals out of the NHS to create a "vibrant" industry of social enterprises, is that another phrase for saying 'we are privatising hospitals'?

I am afraid I am seriously concerned, and for now I will not panic until I get clarification on these points of concern, but if I am interpreting correctly then I will be very much concerned.

Link to comment
Guest Wombat142

Well done Ashley. You keep on bothering them until you get an answer!

I agree - giving GPs responsibility for funding surely means that they'll have less time for their patients. And either they'll have to learn all about which services are called for when, or their patients will have to take pot luck.

I rather suspect that privatisation might be one motive behind this, too. Because basically it means that GPs will be responsible for buying their patients whatever specialist services the GP thinks they need. And if that's the system, it's surely not too big a step to say, well, in that case can't they buy the services from private firms instead? Whatever became of the new reformed Tories? The only difference as far as privatisation goes seems to be that they still like it so long as it's called something else.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...