Will Practice-Based Commissioning in the English NHS Resolve the Problems Experienced by GP Fundholding?

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Labour's new approach to primary health care, based around the policy of practice-based commissioning, has considerable potential for learning from the general practitioner fundholding reforms put in place by the Conservative governments of the 1990s. However, practice-based commissioning seems to repeat many of the same problems as the earlier policy. Despite the increased scope for GPs to make a significant difference to the shape of local health economies because of the incentives and opportunities offered by payment by results and patient choice reforms, the potential problems of practice-based commissioning threaten the reform's viability and long-term success.