Will primary care groups lead to improvements in health care?

The author has participated in a series of regional workshops in Wales, Scotland and England where mixed views were expressed by GPs, nurses and primary care professionals regarding the impact of the new White Paper 'The New NHS: Modern, Dependable'. Many welcome the proposals and the opportunity to influence change. Others, however, expressed widespread concern about the proposed changes, particularly the short timescales, lack of skills, resources and information technology with which to achieve the changes, the lack of start-up funds to get the process going and the lack of incentives to sustain it. The input of community nursing to these workshops was disappointing--many were unclear of their role and involvement, and some were waiting for the GPs to involve them; others, however, were starting to set up their own groups to ensure that their views were heard and included. Primary care groups need active involvement of community nurses at management and operational level and nurse representation at governing body level. It is essential for nurses and nursing to get their act together in relation to the decision-making; configuration and determination of the functionality of primary care groups/trusts.