What do we know about fundholding in general practice?

Key messages •Key messages •Evidence suggests that giving general practitioners budgets has helped to curb the costs of prescribing in primary care •Giving general practitioners budgets has also helped them to lever improvements in hospital services •The impact of fundholding on transaction costs, equity, and quality of care(particularly for patients of non-fundholding general practitioners) is largely unknown •Research into reforms of the NHS should be coordinated and studydesign strengthened