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Practice based commissioning
What is PBC - Practice based commissioning?
PBC is the promotion of fund holders close to the community able to tailor services to the identified needs of the people being served. The best example of this is GP practices many of whom now have contracts with their local PCT to hold funds and provide healthcare services to the community. The idea is to get better flexibility in community services and the funding to provide these services to create a responsive and effective healthcare service.
There are many sub-sections of PBC. Maternal Link is currently looking into the possibility of one section, Alternative Providers of Medical Services (APMS), facilitating midwives to contract their services to PCTs.
How Maternal Link fulfils PBC criteria
PBC Objectives |
Maternal Link Role |
Improve health and well being and reduce health inequalities and social exclusion |
Midwifery-led units are shown to have better birth outcomes, improving the long term health of the child and well being of the mother. Community based services are able to reach more people who may struggle to access formal healthcare settings and so reduce health inequalities and social exclusion. |
Secure access to a comprehensive range of services |
By basing maternity care in the community and being so closely linked with GPs, a better relationship can be formed with other social service support systems. Access to hospital services will be equally accessible. |
Improve the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of services |
This will be achieved by providing continuity of care with excellent support from known staff in the birth centre focusing on maternity assistants. |
Increase choice for patients and ensure a better experience of care through greater responsiveness to peoples needs |
By providing a birth centre choice is extended to women. Midwifery-led units providing continuity of care are shown to respond better to peoples needs and so ensure a better experience of care. |
Achieve best value within the resources provided |
PbR will provide the budget within which midwives and the wider birth centre will operate |
PBC external drivers to improve care |
Maternal Link Role |
Patient driven through choice, voice and competition |
By providing a birth centre women will have a choice in their care and will vote with their feet. Feedback will be actively sought from service users and service providers. |
Commissioner driven through contracting, contestability and service re-design |
Through a partnership of the PCT, GPs, Maternal Link and midwives the service will be tailored specifically to local needs and capabilities |
Nationally driven through standards, targets, agencies and regulatory approaches |
Maternal Link birth centres will meet CNST standards, be regulated by the Healthcare Commission and as a company aim to achieve the highest standards in all aspects of service provision. |
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