What is Bolton PCT?

Bolton Primary Care Trust (PCT) is part of the NHS and has two main roles:

• Improving health
• Commissioning health services.
In addition we:
• Provide health services

We employ over 1,500 staff. 70% of these are clinical staff. To deliver high quality services the PCT places the learning and development needs of our staff as a high priority. It is very important to us that we are a good employer for our staff; we think this helps our staff to treat you well.

We involve you as patients and as members of the public to help us decide how best to improve health services in Bolton. Our staff are also involved in how we can continuously improve our services.

We are spending over £369 million of tax payers’ money on Bolton’s healthcare in 2006/07. This money is given to us by the Department of Health. We will spend this wisely.

Most of this money is spent on commissioning services from a wide range of healthcare providers. When we commission services we choose the provider that can deliver the highest clinical quality, the most positive patient experience and the best value for money. You can see the providers that Bolton PCT commissioned services from in 2005/06 in the pie chart below.

We fund 57 GP practices, 38 dentist practices, 37 optometry practices (opticians) and 54 pharmacies in Bolton. We support them to develop and co-ordinate services in ways that respond to your needs as well as meeting the latest clinical standards.

We provide a wide range of primary and community based services which are managed through four divisions. These services are commissioned by the commissioning part of the PCT from the provider part of the PCT.

Commissioning and/or providing are done jointly with Bolton Council for some services. Provider staff are organised in multi professional teams to best meet your needs as patients. In the past three years significant progress has been made to provide more services close to home. The PCT has a reputation for being innovative and progressive in how we deliver services.

We have a PCT board with a majority of lay members (non executive directors) who, together with the PCT directors and clinical leaders, are responsible for ensuring that the organisation delivers the healthcare services you need.

We are monitored by the Healthcare Commission to make sure that locally we are meeting the targets that the Department of Health set for the NHS. They also monitor us for the quality of the care we provide, including making sure we provide safe care and a positive experience for you the patient, as well as ensuring good financial management. We report to the North West Strategic Health Authority and the Department of Health. Locally we are held to account by the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee which is part of Bolton Council, and the Patient and Public Involvement Forum for Bolton PCT.