Future Options for General Practice

With the advent of the new health authorities, multifunds and consortia, it is likely that the GP's professional leadership of primary care will rapidly become only one of a number of provider options. This book defines some of the future options for the organization of primary care. The evolving possible roles of GPs and practices in these changing circumstances are examined closely. As the new health authorities come into full legislative force, how will they deploy the combined financial allocations for primary and secondary care to support their new capacity to enter into local contracts? Which health care providers will emerge in this market place in response to this shift in commissioning power? These are critical questions for general practice. With contributions from a variety of sources that reflect the varied origins of organizational initiatives, this is a book for planners, providers and purchasers of extended primary care.

1. The British Dilemma 2. The International Context 3. The Managed Practice 4. The Total Fundholder 5. The Preferred Provider 6. The General Practice Consortium: The Future of Fundholding? 7. The Primary Care Agency 8. The City Multi-Fund: A Mechanism for Primary Care Locality Development 9. The Integrated Community Care Practice: General Practice, Citizenship and Community Care 10. The GP Based Care Network 11. The Primary Care Trust: Co-Ordination for Cohesion 12. Joint Ventures: Public and Private Collaboration in Primary Health Care 13. Primary Managed Care: The Lyme Alternative 14. From Invention to Innovation

Geoff Meads, Ian Carruthers