| DONCASTER PRIMARY CARE TRUST
Doncaster Primary Care Trust (PCT) is responsible for the health and health care of people in Doncaster. On 1 October 2006, the new Doncaster PCT was formed in the merger of Doncaster Central PCT, Doncaster East PCT and Doncaster West PCT. In April 2002 the PCTs had taken over from Doncaster Health Authority the role of assessing the health care needs of the local population, developing strategies for meeting those needs and ensuring that good quality and effective health services are provided in order that the health of Doncaster people is maintained and improved, achieving best value for the resources available.
The PCT is responsible for commissioning and planning of hospital and community care, and overseeing the provision of primary health services for their populations. In total around 300,000 people are registered with Doncaster GPs, while 290,000 live within the 224 square mile (580km2) geographical area – Doncaster is the largest geographically of the metropolitan boroughs in England, indicative of a mixed urban/rural nature.
The urban structure is made up of a substantial number of separate conurbations and although most residents live and work in urban surroundings, more than half the borough is rural in character with 86,500 acres (35,000ha) of agricultural land. Doncaster has high levels of socio-economic deprivation – ranked 40th most deprived of the 354 local authorities in England, according to the 2004 Indices of Deprivation. Unemployment is higher than the UK average and educational attainment lower. Along with the rest of South Yorkshire, Doncaster benefits from Objective One funding for regeneration from the European Union.
There has been a long period of net outward migration (since 1966) as industries have reduced their workforces and closed down. Coal mining was a major form of employment, but there are now pockets of high unemployment and deprivation centred on former industrial and mining settlements, for example Conisbrough, Mexborough, Askern, Stainforth and Thorne/Moorends.
As expected in a deprived area, the people of Doncaster have experienced higher death rates and suffer more ill health than people in most other areas of the country. There are very high rates of heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory disease, along with the second highest teenage pregnancy rate in the country. There are also more mental health problems than the national average, with high rates of admission for schizophrenia and neuroses and high suicide rates.
Health Services
Doncaster PCT oversees the provision of primary care: general practitioners, dentists, opticians/optometrists and pharmacies, who are contracted to provide family health services for the people of Doncaster.
The main acute services for Doncaster are commissioned from Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Doncaster Royal Infirmary is a large district general hospital with 800 beds. The Montagu Hospital at Mexborough, with 115 beds, serves the Dearne Valley (the western extremity of the Doncaster borough, together with eastern parts of Barnsley and Rotherham).
Community, mental health and learning disability services are provided by Doncaster and South Humber Healthcare NHS Trust from their main site in Balby, on the south west outskirts of Doncaster town and from many other sites across the borough.
Specialist tertiary services are mainly provided by the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, around 20 miles away.
Doncaster PCT is a key partner in the Doncaster Strategic Partnership, which oversees the development and delivery of joined-up services across the borough through nine key strategic partnerhips.
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