Centre for Policy on Ageing



Understanding the national health service reforms — the creation of incentives?
Author(s)	Peter A West
Publisher	Open University Press, Buckingham, 1997
Pages	195 pp (State of health series)
Source	Marston Book Services Ltd., PO Box 269, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4YN.
Keywords	National Health Service ; Health Authorities and Trusts ; General practice ; Policy ; Finance [care] ; Grant allocation.
Annotation	The author examines the policy context which led to the 1989 White Paper, 'Working for patients', and the subsequent introduction of an internal market in health care. After an assessment of the position of each of the three major stakeholders - purchasing health authorities, NHS trusts, and GP fundholders - the final chapter reviews current and future health care funding and delivery. The author concludes that, whilst the reforms have probably brought some limited improvements, these are difficult to demonstrate scientifically. The focus on needs assessment and purchasing creates considerable scope for a move to more rational purchasing and provision of care, but greater integration of service delivery is still needed.
Accession Number	CPA-971202211 B
Classmark	L4: L4A: L5: QAD: QC: QCG
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...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.