Unified budgets for primary care groups

In April 1999 major changes will start to take place in the organisation and delivery of health services in England. 1 2 For general practitioners, the most important changes will be the formation of primary care groups and the implementation of unified, cash limited budgets for health services. How will current methods of allocating NHS budgets in England change, and what can be learnt from experience in New Zealand and from total purchasing pilots?