UK Primary Care Trusts: History and Abolition (2013)

Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) were NHS administrative bodies in England (1999–2013) responsible for commissioning primary, community, and secondary care services and managing local health budgets.

They were abolished on 1 April 2013 by the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Their functions transferred to:

• Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) – clinician-led commissioning (later replaced by Integrated Care Boards in 2022).
• NHS England – national commissioning.
• Local authorities – public health.

PCTs no longer exist in the UK health system.