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Practice based commissioning GP practice survey

This is the fourth quarterly practice survey, covering a sample of practices from each primary care trust (PCT), conducted between June and August 2008. The aims of the survey are to get feedback from practices on their perception of the support offered by their PCT and on the clinical and financial engagement of practices with PBC. The survey is part of a group of indicators that will be assessed together to give a picture of PBC implementation.

Key findings:

• Net support for PBC (Practice Based Commissioning) continues to rise from Wave 1, with a 12 percentage point rise over the 4 Waves. (+37 in Wave 1, +42 in Wave 2, +45 in Wave 3 and now =49 in Wave 4)
• The percentage of practices commissioning new services as a direct result of PBC continues to rise as it has in each of the previous waves. 46% commissioned at least one new service, whilst this figure was 33% in Wave 1, a 13 percentage point rise.
• The proportion of practices agreeing that PBC has improved patient care has marginally increased from 12% in Wave 2 and 16% in Wave 3, up to 18% in wave 4. The proportion who disagree that PBC has improved patient care is broadly in line with that of the previous two waves (29% in wave 4, 31% in Wave 3, 30% in Wave 2, and 31% in Wave 1).
• 74% of practices claim to have a good relationship with their PCT (71% in Wave 3, 74% in Wave 2 and 72% in Wave 1).
• The percentage of practices who engage with their local population has continued to rise as it has over the course of the previous waves. In Wave 4 25% state that they do not engage with their local population, compared to 35% in Wave 2.
• The proportion of practices rating their PCT’s managerial support for PBC as good has increased since Wave 3 (up 4 percentage points from 40% in Wave 3 to 44% in Wave 4). However, those rating managerial support for PBC as poor continue to outweigh those who think it is good (48 per cent in Wave 4).