It is for individual primary care trusts (PCTs), including Peterborough PCT, within the national health service to commission services for their resident population, including end of life care, based on assessments of local needs and priorities. The NHS has been required to set out action plans to achieve compliance with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommendations on supportive and palliative care. Implementation is being monitored by strategic health authorities (SHAs).
Information on the rate of progress locally can be obtained through the East of England SHA.
It is for individual primary care trusts (PCTs), including Peterborough PCT, within the national health service to commission services for their resident population, including end of life care and neurological care, based on an assessment of local needs and priorities. Strategic health authorities are responsible for monitoring PCTs to ensure they are effective and efficient.
The NHS operating framework for 2007-08 asked PCTs, working with local authorities, to undertake a baseline review of their end of life care services. These will allow local commissioners to assess current services, identify gaps and obtain a much clearer view of local need, which will inform local commissioning.
Regarding neurological care, the information strategy published alongside the ‘National Service Framework for Long-term (Neurological) Conditions’ outlines commissioners' information requirements and a series of local and national actions designed to meet those needs. A copy of this document is available in the Library.