The role of the Primary Care Trust board in world class commissioning

The Department of Health have published a guide setting out the competencies and characteristics of PCT boards in their role as world class commissioners. The paper emphasises the vital role of the board in managing the strategic agenda to deliver better health outcomes, new partnership based models of commissioning and the right balance between co-operation and contestability for the benefit both of patients and tax-payers. The paper also acknowledges the challenges faced by the programme, including the separation of the commissioning and provider functions. Click here to download a copy of the guidance.