UK: Reinvestment-linked PBC (practice-based commissioning) only slightly off target:

Implementation in England of practice-based commissioning (PBC) arrangements, which feature incentives to develop new services, is only slightly behind schedule, but there is still some way to go to meet the completion target set for the end of 2006. At the end of June, 120 of England's 303 PCTs (40%, against a target of 45%) met the criterion "trajectory" related to PBC implementation, according to figures released today. This is up on May, which stood at 82 PCTs (27%, against a target of 29%). A major incentive of the PBC regime is that the "profits" from service provision can be retained for reinvestment specifically in facilities and equipment. "The planned trajectories must reach 100% by December," the Department of Health notes.