tPCTS - Background Information

The Prime Minister announced on 19th March 2001 that the Government would establish a number of teaching PCTs in disadvantaged and under-privileged areas.

It has long been recognised that disadvantaged and under-privileged areas have a multitude of problems. Low income, poor housing and high unemployment often go hand in hand with issues of poor health, high rates of morbidity and mortality, high incidence of drug and alcohol abuse and teenage pregnancies. Disadvantaged areas are not confined simply to urban areas; they exist in rural and sometimes suburban communities.

Too often these areas lack the capacity to meet the challenges they face. It is also often the case that these areas find great difficulty in recruiting and retaining high quality primary care professionals.

Teaching PCTs are able to create new, attractive posts, which offer wider career development opportunities linked to part time clinical role and part time teaching/learning role. By establishing teaching PCTs in these disadvantaged and under-privileged areas, it is intended to attract additional high quality staff and bring much needed capacity into areas of need.

What is a tPCT?

A teaching PCT is a statutory NHS body based upon the existing PCT model. All PCTs are expected to develop a learning culture and role within their organisation. A teaching PCT brings specific additional capacity into their locality to support all healthcare professionals and PCTs in the healthcare community. Through the utilisation of education and research activities, a teaching PCT is able to provide an alternative portfolio career option for GPs and other health care professionals. Such alternative arrangements are expected to assist the recruitment and retention of essential health care professionals in areas that are currently under-resourced.

An essential aim of a teaching PCT is to develop posts that are both clinical and rooted in teaching, research or development. The primary aim must be to provide additional patient care through the recruitment of extra clinicians complemented with the development of learning, sharing of knowledge and collaboration in research.

The intention is that teaching PCTs are not to be confined to traditional teaching activities such as post-graduate clinical training, continuing professional development and life long learning. Teaching PCTs are also engaged in a variety of other activities that encompass the ethos of learning, development, research, dissemination and delivery of good practice. All of these activities are undertaken both within their own organisation and with appropriate partners.

31 tPCTs established since 2001

Three teaching PCts were established in April 2001 as "test-bed" sites:

  • Sunderland PCT
  • Salford PCT
  • Bradford City PCT.

A further eight teaching PCTs were established in April 2002. These were:

Eleven more from April 2003.

The eleven established in April 2003 were:

In July 2003 seven further sites were established. The seven approved are:

A further two sites were established in August 2003. These are:-