An NHS primary care trust (PCT) was a type of NHS trust, part of the National Health Service in England. PCTs were largely administrative bodies, responsible for commissioning primary, community and secondary health services from providers. Until 31 May 2011 they also provided community health services directly. Collectively PCTs were responsible for spending around 80% of the total NHS budget. Primary Care Trusts were abolished on 31 March 2013 as part of the Health and Social Care Act 2012, with their work taken over by clinical commissioning groups.
PCTs held their own budgets and set their own priorities, within the overriding priorities and budgets set by the relevant Strategic Health Authority, and the Department of Health. They provided funding for general practitioners and medical prescriptions; they also commissioned hospital and mental health services from appropriate NHS provider trusts or from the private sector. Many PCTs used the naming style "NHS", followed by the geographical area, to make it easier for local people to understand the management of the NHS locally.
Read more about NHS Primary Care Trust: Management, Restructuring
Famous quotes containing the words primary, care and/or trust:
“A primary function of art and thought is to liberate the individual from the tyranny of his culture in the environmental sense and to permit him to stand beyond it in an autonomy of perception and judgment.”
—Lionel Trilling (1905–1975)
“General McLaidlaw: Lena will never marry. She’s not the marrying sort. I see no reason to worry. There’s enough to care for her for the rest of her life.
Mrs. McLaidlaw: I suppose you’re right, dear. I’m afraid she is rather spinsterish.
General McLaidlaw: What’s wrong with that. The old maid’s a respectable institution. All women are not alike. Lena has intellect and a fine solid character.”
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