Learning from practice

East Devon PCT was devolving powers and resources to local teams, as a means of making resource allocation explicit, and encouraging improved partnership working. Each team included representatives from respective practices, social services, community nursing, community hospitals, the voluntary sector and the PCT general manager for that area. The teams met regularly and identified common issues and new ways of working together. Ultimately, they planned for budgets to be fully integrated with social services at a local level.



Examples of actions arising from these teams have included the development of a rapid response team to prevent hospital admissions, other integrated health and social services posts and the development of PCT-funded sessional services in practices, where service deficiencies have been identified. These delegated responsibilities offer practices incentives to innovate and develop new models of service provision.



Of vital importance for the PCT however, will be how it continues to monitor the value for money of such innovations.



Source: Desk research for NHS Institute by Matrix Consulting