ABSTRACT
Primary care trusts represent the key agency responsible for securing health care services and improving health status in England. Their creation has been the culmination of a series of health sector reforms that for nearly two decades have promoted the role of primary care and primary care organizations. This chapter sets out an overview of the development of primary care groups and trusts in England, located within the context of broader political and NHS strategic developments. An assessment is made of the key lessons to be drawn from the experience of forming and operating these primary care organizations, using the published research as a basis for drawing such conclusions.
