Wednesday, August 20, 2008

The Carrot and the Stick

The government has recently stated it wants to increase primary care services in under-privileged areas with the justifiable and statistically-proven reasoning that those living in such areas are more likely to suffer ill-health.

It has also stated that it will increase funding to those Primary Care Trusts (and, therefore, knock-on to the primary care providers such as General Practitioners, community care services etc) which excel, fulfilling or exceeding quality-of-care standards, many of which are measured by clinical outcomes. Those that fail to meet the standards will receive less money.

I don't understand ... I must be stupid ...

For example, a GP practice in an under-privileged area is less likely to perform as well as a practice in a privilged area due to the higher levels of ill-health in the under-privileged area. To achieve the quality-of-care standards demanded of it will require more resources rather than less.

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