Lambeth PCT ranked among worst in country (From This Is Local London)

Lambeth PCT ranked among worst in country

10:17am Wednesday 8th September 2010 in

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Lambeth’s public health provider was ranked among the worst in the country on its ability to provide good health services.

An NHS investigation looked at how well 144 of the 152 primary care trusts (PCTs) nationwide assessed local health needs, identified services needed, and bought those services from healthcare providers like hospitals and GPs.

Lambeth PCT was ranked 127th in the World Class Commissioning (WCC) survey – a dramatic decline compared with other parts of the country in the past year.

It was ranked 73rd in the league table, compiled by the Health Service Journal, in 2009.

Andrew Eyres, interim chief executive for NHS Lambeth, the part of Lambeth PCT that commissions services, said he was “disappointed” with the ranking.

But he said assessment was not consistent with other more positive recent external assessments of its work, including those of NHS London, the Care Quality Commission and the Audit Commission.

The WCC score related to governance arrangements including finance, board and strategy, and a range of competencies for ensuring high quality, efficient and effective commissioning of services.

Mr Eyres added: “WCC was essentially an internal NHS process that gave us an opportunity to review what we do and identify areas for development.

“We will make full use of the opportunity that WCC has presented, though we note that the Department of Health said WCC would not continue in its current form.”

The coalition Government recently announced it was to phase out primary care trusts and regional bodies known as strategic health authorities, with funding going directly to GPs.