ABSTRACT
Promoting a dialogue between all the research units involved in the different evaluation studies of total purchasing will be important if people are to maximize our understanding of the delivery model of purchasing and fully inform future policies. The evaluation study will be based on a single set of criteria to ensure that the purchasing model is rigorously tested for its ability to provide: value for money, health benefits, and improved patient satisfaction. The four sites at Bromsgrove in Worcestershire, Berkshire Integrated Purchasing Project in Berkshire, Castle-fields in north Cheshire, and Worth Valley in North Yorkshire, all pioneered the concept of total purchasing. The evaluation is also tracing emergency admissions rates, the use of accident and emergency services, relationships with social services, and patient transport services. Widening the scope of fund-holding may be expected to generate changes in the structures, processes and possibly outcomes of health care in Berkshire.
