Implementing practice based commissioning

In its recent report, the Audit Commission described the current state of implementation of practice based commissioning (Putting Commissioning in to Practice). The commission defined such commissioning as a way of managing financial risk as well as a means of improving services and use of resources. Under practice based commissioning, primary care trusts devolve indicative budgets to practices (practices do not receive the actual money, but operate within an agreed budget held and administered by the primary care trust) to give them financial incentives to manage referrals, and to commission and redesign services to make them more convenient, appropriate, and cost effective.

BMJ, 2007;335:1168

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