The Most Dramatic Changes In NHS For 60 Yrs
by Dr Emma Gray - 9th July, 2012Up until recently Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) were in control of NHS budgets, deciding where and how money was spent thus determining the quality and level of service that the public received for both their physical and psychological health.
On 21.01.11 the government announced that PCTs were to be abolished and their control handed to GPs. The idea behind this (and one that many GPs agree with) is that GP’s position in the healthcare chain (i.e. on the front line) places them in a better position to determine how funds are allocated. However, some GPs fear that their position on the front line means that they will not have the capacity to take on this new responsibility. What is certain is that this is a genuine change in how resources are distributed and a change is without doubt necessary.
However is this a change in the right direction?