Health Supplements

Primary health trusts

Posted on 08. Jun, 2011 by admin in Primary health

Primary health trusts, more commonly known as primary care trusts (PCTs) are part of the National Health Service in the United Kingdom. Primary Care Trusts play a very important role in the organisation and provision of care across the United Kingdom.

What do primary health trusts do?

Primary health trusts are responsible for commissioning primary and secondary health services. Primary care trusts have their own individual budgets and they must decide how to use this money to best serve the people in their area. There are currently 151 primary care trusts in England and six of these are known as care trusts.

Primary care trusts have a huge amount of responsibility as the executives in charge of the individual trusts must stick to a budget whilst ensuring that patients in their district have access to essential services and ensuring that there are enough services and resources to go around. Primary care trusts work alongside local authorities and organisations to try and focus on the needs of the community.

Primary care trusts are local organisations and therefore different services may be available in different areas, this means that patients in some areas may have access to services or medication that patients in other areas do not. It is the responsibility of the PCT to determine which services and treatments it can provide and this has caused controversy in the media with many stories suggesting a ‘postcode lottery’ for certain treatments and services, such as cancer drugs and IVF treatment. The PCT has a strict budget and will prioritise essential services over non-essential services; this is why emergency care is available in all areas and treatments as opposed to weight loss surgery, IVF and vasectomy reversals which are not available in all areas.

How are primary care trusts managed?

Primary care trusts are managed by executive boards, which are comprised of a number of individuals. The majority of issues on the PCT agenda are determined by the Department of Health and Strategic Health Authorities but local issues are taken into consideration and this is why different PCTs may offer different services.

The future of PCTs

The coalition government has announced plans to reform the NHS to make it more efficient and modern, the new plans including a total abolition of primary care trusts and more responsibility for GPs. Under the new plans GPs will determine how most of the budget is spent, as the government believes that most services involve GPs and they have a better understanding of the needs of a community than a panel of executives who may or may not have medical knowledge and experience.