Practice Based Commissioning

Practice Based Commissioning was created by the Government in 2004 to empower GP groups to hold and be responsible for budgets to deliver patient care. In the last few years PCT mergers within England have shifted focus from this development but now in 2008 that focus is returning.

The Medicines Management budget within PBCs is a significant percentage of the total budget and poses challenges for prescribing teams to ensure that funds are spent appropriately in relation to the needs of all stakeholders involved in Practice Based Commissioning.

Some key questions arising are around the issue of who will deliver prescribing advice to the GP groups and how it will be paid for. Different scenarios are now developing whereby some PBC groups are employing their own Prescribing Adviser/Community Pharmacists who are working sessionally within practices and PCT Medicine Management team members going on secondment to practice groups.

Setting the scene for these developments is a highly topically and relevant report created from the recent Pharmacy Management National Seminar - "The Role of Medicines Management within Practice Based Commissioning Groups", held at the RPSGB on the 9th October 2008.

Future developments in this section will be coming soon and will be of practical use to those involved in PBC.