Can all GP practices get involved in PBC?
Answer PBC remains voluntary for practices. As PBC contains numerous benefits to patients –a greater range of services, more services provided closer to home, increased investment in primary care – we expect GP practices will want to get involved in PBC. By ensuring the right environment exists for PBC, we are removing the obstacles for GP practices to get involved. It is important to remember that recent health reforms have changed the way that healthcare is commissioned. Under reforms such as payment by results and patient choice, clinical decisions are now direct drivers of financial resources. Primary care professionals commit NHS resources as a matter of course through their clinical decisions. In this way, all practices are already in some form, such as in their decision to refer patients, engaging in commissioning.
