By Norma Beavers
Primary Care Trusts are changing again. NHS Sheffield, NHS Hull, NHS Rotherham, NHS Suffolk, and NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney are among the first to have changed their identities but others are also considering the move.

By Norma Beavers
"Primary Care Trusts have so far failed to make the GP Contract work for them in a way that would maximise its full potential. Instead PCTs have spent more than they were allocated, and have failed to use the contract to provide more convenient opening hours and more general practice services in deprived areas" so says a report published by the Committee of Public Accounts.

By Norma Beavers
"Out of hours care is improving but more must be done to get services integrated and open lines of communication between them. Patients also need to be better informed so that they do not equate out of hours care only with A & E Departments" so finds a new report by the Healthcare Commission.

More patients are seeing their GPs during extended opening hours in a trend that looks to be finally taking off. GPs are making the commitment and more patients are seeing notices put up in GP surgery reception areas announcing plans to offer consultations in extended working hours.

The NHS is on track to deliver world class healthcare services according to the Healthcare Commission's annual performance review of NHS Trusts. The annual health check shows that regionally for the third year running NHS Trusts in the north of England performed best overall for both quality of services and use of resources. NHS Trusts in the southwest however showed they are delivering the most improvement.

Surrey PCT is on track to launch the first of a series of Integrated Care Pilots in October. Further waves of the year-long pilots are planned by December as more practices bid to get involved. The PCT says it intends to control risks, resources and the complexity of the Integrated Care Pilot by putting a limit on the number of patients enrolled. No more than 200,000 patients are to be included.

The Department of Health's public consultation on the NHS Constitution is due to end on 17 October. In the run up, PCTs are urging NHS staff and the public to speak up and file their comments. Bernard Williamson, Chairman of Great Yarmouth and Waveney Primary Care Trust, said, "The NHS is the property of the people which is why I want to see many residents of the Great Yarmouth and Waveney area taking part in this important consultation."ť

NHS staff are piloting a new approach to leading healthier lifestyles both at home and at work. In a programme being managed by Vielife, a health consultancy, 10 NHS Trusts, including two PCTs, are piloting the programme, which will ultimately be implemented nationwide.

The NHS's 1.3 million staff can now help to shape the final draft of the NHS Constitution put forward as part of Lord Darzi's Review of the NHS. Published for consultation by Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Health, staff have until 17 October to file comments on the Department of Health website.

Lord Darzi’s final blueprint for the NHS faces a major challenge – how to make it happen in every locality in the country – so says Niall Dickson, Chief Executive at The King’s Fund.