GPs make around nine million referrals a year at an estimated cost of £15 billion. It’s a key area clinical commissioning groups have to get to grips with given the current NHS savings programme. Here’s an interesting article on the dilemma GPs face.

http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/blog/is_a_new_system.html

Got a problem in your organisation that isn’t being resolved? Just employ an expensive group of consultants to find a high cost solution to a low-tech problem.

If we stopped, took stock and didn’t over complicate problems, we invariably find a solution to hand that is very human and practical. See http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/blog/running_the_nhs.html

Clinicians and NHS management have a somewhat frosty relationship only recently thawed by the introduction of clinical commissioning groups. Here’s an interesting article that explains the divide and the bridge being built to cross it. See http://www.guardian.co.uk/healthcare-network/2012/jan/24/medics-managers-culture-shift