Managing the 'seamless service': Primary Care Groups in the new NHS

This paper reports on empirical work examining the consequences for the development of the role of Primary Care Groups of the shift from competition (in the internal market) to relationships based on collaboration and partnership. Previous work (Conway and Willcocks, 1998; Willcocks and Conway, 1999) firstly developed a conceptual framework emphasizing the development of relationships between Primary Care Groups and their key stakeholders (for example, Health Authorities, Local Authorities and Trusts) and, secondly, sought to test this framework empirically through case study analysis of two Primary Care Groups in the north of England. This paper takes the research further and focuses on one of these Primary Care Groups, providing an in-depth analysis of particular issues such as the rationale for the particular configuration of this organization and the chosen working arrangements, the role and function of the Board and individual members, and the problems encountered in the first year of operation.