Abstract Background. The 2004 General Medical Services (GMS) contract introduced
financial incentives for the management of chronic illnesses in 10 clinical areas. The effect of …

Objective: To examine the prescribing incentive schemes used by primary care groups
(PCGs); to determine the prescribing indicators used under these schemes; and to assess …

Background In an attempt to curb the rapidly rising costs of primary care prescribing in
Ireland, the government introduced a financial incentive scheme in 1993, to encourage …

Primary Care Groups and Trusts in England (Primary Care Organisations, or PCOs) are
required to operate a prescribing incentive scheme. Little is known about their development …

Abstract Methods Primary care organizations (PCOs) in England are required to run a
prescribing incentive scheme. The average payment received by general practitioners (GPs) …

Background Financial incentives have been suggested to be effective in increasing the
quality and efficiency of drug prescribing. Concern has been raised in relation to potential …

The costs of drugs prescribed in primary care in the UK continue to rise despite a variety of
government initiatives. Two of the major initiatives are considered here in detail: the …

Background If all GPs target their prescribing appropriately, then a positive relationship may
be expected between targeting quality indicators and associated prescribing expenditure …

BACKGROUND: The formation of primary care groups (PCGs) and trusts (PCTs) has shifted
the emphasis from individual practice initiatives to group-based efforts to control rising …

We share Marshall and Harrison's caution on over-reliance on financial incentives for
improving quality of care manifested in the new UK general practice contract. 1 Financial …