Acute trusts — responsibilities

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Responsibility of acute trusts

Acute trusts are having to bear the brunt of the changes laid out in the NHS Plan with significant pressures on addressing waiting times.

The publication of the star ratings for hospitals in the summer of 2004 has added to the discomfort felt by acute trust chief executives. Many in primary care would like to finally address the power base of the acute trust, which has largely been unchanged since 1948. The NHS Alliance is particularly vociferous about this, wishing to move more resources (from hospitals) into primary care. Relationships on both sides remain combative and adversarial in some areas. The arrival of foundation hospitals may well disturb the PCT/acute trust relationship once more.

The Joint Consultants Committee have asked hospital doctors to relay their experiences of dealing with PCTs, seemingly being anxious over the power that PCTs now hold and have questioned how effectively PCTs will be able to commission cardiac surgery services.

For NHS influencers, with their well-established contacts in primary care, there may be some opportunities for company-brokered fence mending here…