http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22668608

J Ambul Care Manage. 2012 Jul;35(3):192-9.

The commissioning reforms in the English national health service and their potential impact on primary care.

Greaves F, Harris M, Goodwin N, Dixon A.

Source

Department of Primary Care and Public Health (Drs Greaves and Harris), Charing Cross Campus, Imperial College London, and The King's Fund (Drs Goodwin and Dixon), London, United Kingdom.

Abstract

Reform of the National Health Service in England will increase power and responsibility for family doctors. They will have a larger role in planning and buying health care including control of substantial budgets. This article examines the likely implications of the proposed reforms for primary care, and in particularly for family doctors. This article considers the effect of the new clinical role in commissioning health care, changes to the accountability structures, and the effect on competition and integration within health services. It also considers the effect of new financial incentives and the possibility of creating conflicts of interest.