alternative provider of medical services

A UK term of art referring to a contractual route through which primary care trusts (PCTs) can contract with a wide range of providers to deliver services tailored to local needs.

This mechanism offers substantial opportunities for the restructuring of services to offer greater patient choice, improved access and greater responsiveness to the specific needs of the community. It will provide a valuable tool to address need in areas of historic under-provision, enable re-provision of services where practices opt out, and improve access in areas showing problems with GP recruitment and retention.

References in periodicals archive

The Government has backed this initiative - as envisaged by health minister Lord Darzi - to the tune of pounds 250million, and is being tendered through Alternative Provider of Medical Services (APMS) contracts, first introduced in April 2004.

Year to remember for primary care services?

These would be procured through an open tendering process on a new APMS (Alternative Provider of Medical Services) contract.

Tesco or Dr Bloggs? I don't have a view; NEW GP PRACTICES: Health chief says bids process will be 'completely open'

APMS (Alternative Provider of Medical Services) contracts to run each of the new surgeries will be put out to tender and signed by December 2008.

Patients in plea over surgeries; PROTEST: More than 3,000 sign petition to PM opposing plans for private firms to run GP practices

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