Reforms stymie care shift from hospitals

Some health reforms may be hindering the government’s aim to shift care out of hospitals and into the community, a report for the Department of Health has found.

The study, which surveyed progress made by NHS organisations, said stability was important for shifting care but this could be hindered by the current reorganisation of primary care trusts.

The report, by Birmingham University’s health services management centre, also said the payment by results policy, where acute trusts are paid according to how much they do, may have prevented care being shifted out of hospitals in some areas.

Making the Shift: A Review of NHS Experience