Oldham PCT hits fair-share target

BUDGETS for Oldham GPs are the most fairly distributed in the country.

Oldham Primary Care Trust (PCT) is one of only six trusts in the country who distribute funds exactly according the NHS “fair shares” formula.

Money allocated to GPs across the borough is used to pay for drugs and hospital care for their patients.

But a report by the Health Service Journal suggested trusts were overfunding surgeries in richer neighbourhoods and underfunding poorer surgeries.

A breakdown of budgets from 59 PCTs suggested practices in poorer areas lost out and those in wealthier neighbourhoods gained to the tune of £94,000 annually ‚the equivalent of 12 coronary bypasses.

Only Oldham, Darlington, Halton & St Helens, Hertfordshire, Hillingdon and Wiltshire, were passing on funds in line with government guidelines.

Steve Sutcliffe, Oldham PCT interim director of finance, said: “We work with GPs and other health professionals to ensure we provide funding where it is needed.”

A Department of Health spokesman said: “Department of Health guidance requires PCTs to ensure practices move towards fair share budgets, and seeks to bring about change to those furthest away from fair share budgets.”