ABSTRACT
West Berkshire Priority Care Trust is committed to working with general practitioners (GPs) and keen to see primary care services enhanced and developed. The pressures regarding early hospital discharges and the ever-increasing demand for more care in a community setting under which GPs find themselves are very similar to those which community services like district nursing and physiotherapy are facing. The flip side of the argument for going forward with total purchasing from the Trust's view is the potential risk to clinical stability and the financial risk. GPs, like community staff, are well aware of the increasing pressures on them from early hospital discharge and care in the community. The main benefits of the project have been greater GP involvement in wider issues of purchasing, the encouragement of collaboration between secondary and primary care and raised awareness of services outside fundholding.
