Confused NHS Managers?

Dr Rant posted about Practice Based Commissioning (PBC) a few days ago – and seemed totally confused – so I visit the Department of Health's website to find out more and I am even more confused.

The DoH website really does not explain what this new bureaucratic procedure, introduced in April, “is”. The aims it states are clear and laudable. The Frequently Asked Questions appear to be half-aimed at educated “clients” and half-aimed at General Practitioners and leave me even more confused.

On October 27 the DoH produced its first GP survey of PBC (note no patient survey here) and it would seem to be pretty lukewarm. “Earlydays” is the optimistic conclusion. More realistically it really doesn't seem to have done anything.

And from this survey it appears the Primary Care Trusts, who are meant to provide GPs with support in the implementation of PBC, are equally confused.

And as well as no patient survey, no PCT manager survey – are the GPs the only stakeholders in this ?

So please Dr Rant or Dr Crippen or anyone explain to me what is Practice Based Commissioning – so I can make a choice?