INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH & OPINION

Health bill announces changes toUKNHS

If a new health bill is passed in the UK, the National Health Service (NHS) will provide 'one-stop health shops' at which all4 primary-care contractor profes­sionals work together, reports the Pharmaceutical Journal.

Introduced to British parliament last month, the bill is expected to result in: walk-in high-street health centres; day surgery at local health centres; health checks and advice sessions at new clinics; treatment advice, physiotherapy and chiropody at one site; and community pharmacies, general medical practitioners, dentists and opticians working from the same site.

In addition, the following changes will take place within the NHS through primary-care groups and trusts. • Prescriptions will be sent directly from surgeries to community

pharmacies. • All general practitioner (GP) surgeries will be linked to the

NHSnet computer network. • Hospital test results will be sent electronically to GPs. • Work will begin on allocating every individual in the UK

a lifelong electronic patient record.

These changes are expected to make health services more locally responsive, according to Secretary of State for Health Mr Frank Dobson. 'Local health care will be driven by local health improvement programmes, putting local doctors and nurses in the driving seat, making sure that every part of the country gets the type of care, the range of care and the quality of care that is individually matched to the particular needs of their part of the world', he says. Health bill sets out framework for one-stop health shops. Pharmaceutical Journal 7031: 178, 6 Feb 1999 800730]()3

1173-550319910201Hl0011/$01.00° Adlalnternmlonal Limited 19118. All rights reurvecl PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 20 Feb 111119 No. 200

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