Blackburn with Darwen tPCT was an English National Health Service primary care trust, responsible for commissioning & purchasing of health care in Blackburn with Darwen in Lancashire. It came under the North West of England's NHS strategic health authority (SHA). It was abolished in April 2013.
Blackburn with Darwen PCT was formed in 2000 by order of the Secretary of State for Health Alan Milburn by means of the National Health Service Act 1977, and is co-terminus with Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. It became a teaching PCT in 2007, having survived a series of mergers intact.
Between 1982 and 1994 the local healthcare fundholders for this area was known as the Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley District Health Authority, which came under the Lancashire Area Health Authority (which has now been replaced by the North West Region SHA). It was then reorganised into part of the East Lancashire District Health Authority. Under this administration, the function of fundholders was known as the Blackburn with Darwen primary care group sub committee, before being replaced yet again by the creation of the present trust in 2000.
The PCT served a population of approximately 163,000 people and, according to its 2007-2007 annual report, had three core responsibilities:
The Trust was responsible for the commissioning of healthcare on all of the following sites:
Source: Department of Health. NHS Choices: Blackburn With Darwen PCT
The Blackburn with Darwen area suffers from severe health inequalities., in particular there have been reports of an increase in cases of rickets in the area. In response to this the Living Better, Living Longer strategy was launched in 2007. The purpose of the strategy is to:
This is accomplished by a process called commissioning. This is defined as: The strategic activity of assessing needs, resources and current services, and developing a strategy to make best use of available resources to meet identified needs.
Once this has been completed, the actual purchasing of health services needed to meet the needs and priorities identified can go a head. The definition used for purchasing is: The operational activity set within the context of commissioning, of applying resources to buy services to meet needs, either at a macro/population level or at a micro/individual level.
The PCT is also responsible for monitoring and assessment of these services whilst they are being provided to ensure that the service providers are adhering to the plan laid out, to the agreed standards of care and are providing value for money.