Description
Abstract
With the development of Primary Care Trusts general practitioners
are encouraged to take on new roles and responsibilities.
Health Authorities are relinquishing some of their direct
commissioning functions to primary care physicians who will
be in the driving seat to shape the future development of
health services, including Old Age Psychiatry. We discuss
the various organisational frameworks for the future commissioning
of Old Age Psychiatry services by Primary Care Group/Trusts;
the obstacles to such commissioning and the factors which
could facilitate it; consider the various processes which
effective commissioning should entail; and identify possible
roles for Old Age Psychiatrists in future commissioning.
