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Policy requires that those with complex long‐term needs be offered case management, a primary care led service dependent on local health and social care resources. This paper explores the arrangement of networks for a number of case management services, using data from a postal questionnaire.

This article presents the views of board members from two primary care groups in South West England on benefits and concerns relating to the imminent development of primary care trusts, and perceived implications for service delivery and management arrangements.

To provide an overview of the change to NHS Clinical Governance Support Team's Board Development Programme.

The background to the programme, the methods adopted by the Board Team and lessons learned are outlined. Commitment and active support at Board and senior levels are known to be essential for organisational change and, in order to help translate aims into strategic priorities and to implement these into improved services, the Clinical Governance Board Support Team was formed in 2000 as part of the overall NHS Clinical Governance Support Team (CGST). Its members provide advice and support to NHS personnel who are involved in improvements to health care services.

The team worked initially with Boards of acute NHS Trusts and later with Primary Care, Ambulance and Mental Health Trusts. Among the lessons learned from their own work and the increasing body of research‐based evidence is the importance of the leadership role of the Board in fostering a positive culture of change, enthusing and empowering staff. Other factors are the effectiveness of communication with external organisations, scrutiny of all points of contact with users of the services and involvement of users – patients and carers – at all stages. The Team evolved during the programme, strengthening its clinical base and introducing patients and carers as associates. In order to meet demand and increase capacity of the Team, learning materials have been developed and these and their experiences widely disseminated. An example of success is demonstrated by the progress made by a pilot cohort of Primary Care Trusts.

This review summarises the aims, objectives and progress of the work of the Board Development Programme.

This paper aims to explore the early experiences of a new primary care organisation in the NHS. It reports the findings of a longitudinal qualitative case study of one primary care group in its first year of operation. It concludes and makes recommendations in four key areas relevant to the development of the primary care group: the experiences of individuals and their readiness for change; clarity and consensus about roles and responsibilities in the new organisation; the process of change, and the impact of culture/power structures; and developing relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

A survey of integrated working between primary care trusts (PCTs) and adult social services across England was undertaken in December 2009 and January 2010. The survey results are presented in the context of the history of integrated working between health and social care, and the recent policy announcements of the Conservative‐Liberal Democrat Coalition Government.

This paper seeks to report key findings of a study, whose purpose was to: understand what helps or hinders the commissioning and provision of integrated services for people with long‐term neurological conditions (LTNCs); identify models of best practice from the perspectives of people with LTNCs and the professionals who work with them; and develop a benchmarking system to assess the extent to which these models are available in England.

The research had three main components: a rapid systematic literature review of evidence; in‐depth case studies of six neurology “service systems”; and a survey of all English PCTs to audit progress towards implementation of the National Service Framework (NSF) for LTNCs.

A number of elements that contribute to the experience of continuity and three service models that incorporate these elements were identified: community interdisciplinary neurological rehabilitation teams; nurse specialists and proactive, holistic day opportunities services. The survey results reinforced many of the case study findings, particularly around the varying levels of service available depending on diagnosis and location, and problems of access even where high‐quality services existed. The paper concludes that the systematic approach to delivering treatment and care for people with LTNCs envisaged in the NSF has not yet been achieved.

This study uses a mix of methods to assess progress towards national service improvement, based on evidence from people with LTNCs and those who work with them. As such, it provides a comprehensive benchmark at a critical point in the implementation of the NSF for LTNCs.