News  

The report, Primary Care Trusts: serving communities, was published this week, as the number of PCTs is officially halved to 152, and aims to educate patients in the PCT’s role within the NHS.  

However, despite vast im-provements, the report also claims that bigger challenges lie ahead and NHS Confederation director of policy Nigel Edwards  has asked the government for some stability to improve care.  

‘The government must stop tinkering with management structures and give trusts the freedom and space to get on with working with clinicians to improve services,’ he said.  

The confederation identifies improvements to GP services since the start of the decade.  

‘GPs and primary care teams now offer more services than ever before,’ it says. ‘GPs are trained in specialisms such as minor surgery and dermatology, thereby reducing the pressure on hospitals and providing patients with high-quality care closer to home.’  

PCT changes  

How PCT numbers have changed  

Before 1 October 2006: 303 

After 1 October 2006: 152