Slight increase in satisfaction with PBC data quality

GPs have become marginally more satisfied with the quality of the data they receive for practice-based commissioning over the past six months, although more than 35% are still dissatisfied, according to a Department of Health survey.

The DH’s latest quarterly poll of 1,891 GP practices, carried out between June and August 2008, found that 16% of practices rated the quality of information provided for PBC by their primary care trust as very poor and a further 21% rated it as fairly poor.

The figures show a rise in the number reporting data quality as good or very good of 3% (from 32% to 35%) since Christmas.

The June to August survey also found that slightly more practices were happy with the format of the information provided by their PCT and the frequency with which it was provided, with satisfaction rising from 30% to 35% since this time last year.

A total of 33% of GP practices rated the quality of managerial support they received from their PCT as fairly or very good although a greater percentage (48%) described PCT managerial support as fairly or very poor.

Last month, the NHS Alliance called for PBC groups to be given the money to fund their own information needs, after it reported that PCTs’ failure to provide practices with accurate and meaningful data was sabotaging PBC.

Other results from the latest survey show that, overall, GP practice support for PBC has risen from 37% a year ago to 49% today and that 46% of practices have commissioned new services as a result of PBC. However, only 18% of practices agreed that PBC has improved patient care.

Links

DH quarterly survey of PBC June to August 2008

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