Abstract
This study reviews how primary care trusts (PCTs) are supporting redesign of care pathways from primary care into consultant outpatient services Footnote 1. Its aim is to help PCT managers understand:
- Which organisational and contextual factors have particular impact on a PCT’s ability to progress successful redesign programmes
- How some PCTs have overcome local barriers to implement new care pathways.
Redesign helps to ensure that patients are treated by the most appropriate healthcare professional in the most appropriate location. This improves patients’ experiences (for example, by reducing waiting times), helps to manage demand for acute care and introduces a greater range of providers,
