PBC Survey: Information Is Power, UK

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 21 Jan 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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The NHS Alliance congratulates the Department of Health on its decision to publish their national survey into practice based commissioning. This follows pressure from the Alliance to put the full results into the public domain.

National benchmark information is particularly useful. It will mean that no-one will be able to hide failings in performance behind secret data. GP practices will be able to see whether their PCT is better or poorer than the national average for the provision of timely, accurate information - and challenge the primary care trust if appropriate. Similarly, PCTs will be able to see whether take-up of PBC in their area is good or bad, and take action if necessary.

Support for PBC in principle continues to be strong among the majority of GP practices. However the provision by PCTs of management support and essential information remains variable despite slightly better results than the previous survey, published October 2007. It is also encouraging to see small but significant improvements in relationships between PCTs and practices.

Nevertheless, it is puzzling to see that practices have had to wait for this information for several weeks after their PCTs had received it - and were instructed to keep it secret. Why the insistence on secrecy, even if only for a limited time?

NHS Alliance national lead for practice based commissioning Dr David Jenner said:

"We are grateful to the Department of Health for making this information public. The survey is a valid and useful exercise that will help all of us who want to see practice based commissioning a success.

"For the future, we hope the Department will provide the results to PCTs and practices at the same time. We are expected to work together as equal partners, and that means we should be treated as equal partners."

Notes:

1.The NHS Alliance is the independent body that represents NHS primary care. It is a collaboration of primary care clinicians, managers and Board members who put patients first, and is the only fully multi-professional health service organisation in the UK.

2.Full details of the national practice based commissioning survey are available from the Department of Health: http://www.dh.gov.uk or from local primary care trusts.

http://www.nhsalliance.org