Lack Of Public Awareness About Primary Care Groups

Over two thirds (69%) of the public questioned in a MORI poll sponsored by the Doctor Patient Partnership (DPP) did not know what the term Primary Care Group (PCGs) means. Only 4% knew that the PCGs are a group of local health professionals including GPs, managers and patients that will make decisions about spending on local health services.

Commenting on the poll today (21 September 1998) at the DPP's Getting Better conference at the Kensington Town Hall, London, Dr Simon Fradd, Chairman of the DPP said: "These figures show quite alarmingly how the public have been forgotten in the whole process. When asked about Primary Care Groups, many people had no idea what the term even meant. Answers ranged from 'private healthcare' and 'something to do with neighbours' to 'organisations making money out of illness.'"

"This time next year there will be 600 PCGs and each will have a lay person on the Board. The Government has emphasised that public involvement in PCGs will be delivered through an 'open process.' However, to date, there has been no national campaign to make people aware of how they can participate or about the changes that are going to take place in the management of primary care service. When we asked people if they would be interested in sitting on their local PCGs, 32% showed interest in participating locally."

"Our poll also asked who people thought should be responsible for deciding if the NHS can afford their medical treatment, most people (43%) thought their GP should make that decision. 16% thought the government should be responsible while 8% thought local patients should decide. Yet, only 6% of the public thought there should be no rationing and that all medical treatment should be freely available. This reassures me greatly that the public should be closely involved in the running of the PCGs."

"With PCGs due to be up and running soon, the government must act quickly to make the public aware of the changes in the system and give them full information on how they can be involved" said Dr Fradd.

Speaking for the Patients Association, Chair, Claire Rayner said: "It is not enough to promise patient involvement in health planning, we need hard evidence that the promise will be kept soon. The government has shown it cares for our opinion, now let us see them act on it."

Q1 The Government has proposed changes to the way local health services are organised, and are setting up Primary Care Groups as part of their proposals. What does the term Primary Care Group mean to you, if anything?

Q2 Primary Care Groups are groups of local health professionals which can be lead by local GPs. They are set up to make decision on how money is spent on local health services. How interested would you be, if at all, in sitting on you local Primary Care Group?

Q3 Who, if anyone, do you think should be responsible for deciding if the NHS can afford your medical treatment?

Technical details

The poll was based on 1,027 interviews across Great Britain amongst a representative sample of adults aged 15 and over. 10-17 September 1998.