Vertical integration of hospitals and GPs has saved some practices but should not be imposed, evaluation finds

The process of hospital trusts taking over the running of primary care services has saved some GP surgeries from closure but should not be imposed on practices, an evaluation has concluded.

A study by the University of Birmingham and RAND Europe1 examined the rationale for and the early impact of vertical integration at two locations in England and one in Wales. It combined a review of existing evidence with interviews of 52 people involved in the three case study sites, including GPs and NHS managers.

Across the three sites, the authors found that the main driver and rationale of vertical integration had been …