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Plans to allow GP practices to manage their own commissioning budgets are to be rolled out across the NHS, health minister John Hutton said last week.

From April, practices will be able to receive "indicative budgets" from their primary care trusts, make their own secondary care commissioning choices, and retain half of the savings.

The scheme has been piloted in north Bradford for four years where it led to a fall in waiting lists.

NHS Alliance chair Dr Michael Dixon said the change could reignite the enthusiasm of front-line GPs and practices.

Paul Burstow, health spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, said the initiative could "put patients in the driving seat" but warned that plans should involve nurses, therapists and pharmacists as well as GPs.