London

Local health services
Primary Care Trusts are the frontline health organisations in each borough. Their role is to address inequalities, improve primary care and arrange local health services.

The 2006 Healthcare Commission survey was the first to assess whether NHS trusts meet general standards on issues that matter to patients, such as safety, cleanliness and the d quality of care. The Commission rated all 570 NHS trusts in England on a four-point scale from ‘excellent’ to ‘weak’ for both quality of services and use of resources. Four per cent were rated excellent – though none are in London.
Thirty-six per cent were considered ‘good’ – a mark achieved by only seven trusts in the capital.
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At the opposite end of the spectrum, Barnet was one of two London trusts to be graded ‘weak’ – a rating described as ‘extremely worrying’ by Helena Hart, Barnet Council’s cabinet member for public health: ‘A “weak” rating for quality of services must have a direct negative impact on patients. The advent of patient choice will mean that patients opt for hospitals where the quality of services is “good” or “excellent” instead of going to Barnet Hospital. This will not help the trust’s financial position as fewer patients will mean less income. The ratings quite obviously show that the current amalgamation of Barnet & Chase Farm Hospitals is not working.’

Overall, the primary care we receive in the capital is mediocre with a few pockets of above-average performance.

Primary Care Trusts rated by category

(Source: Healthcare Commission, 2006 NHS Trust ratings)