PCTs urged to engage new providers:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The UK's health ministry today announced plans to improve access to and extend GP services, in an initial package of measures that will provide the basis of further developments to be defined by the NHS Next Stage review. The review is being conducted by Professor Ara Darzi over the next year (see Clinica No 1263, p 2). The package of measures includes the creation of an improvement team to advise PCTs and GP practices on how to improve services, and the development of local action plans that should see PCTs "using their existing powers to invite new providers to offer high-quality services". The move is in response to a DoH-commissioned patient survey on access to GP services, which despite a generally positive appraisal, found "some significant pockets of dissatisfaction".