title: The contribution of coterminosity to joint purchasing in health and social care.
abstract: This article examines the context within which coterminosity (the coincidence of geographical boundaries between two or more organisations) is currently being re-defined, given the development of purchasing in health and social care agencies in the British welfare system. It explores the current trends within purchasing and especially the notion of "locality" as a means of promoting "joint working" between purchasing agencies. In particular, the emergence of general practice as a focus of purchasing is explored with reference to its involvement in joint purchasing (or joint commissioning) and its interaction with the "locality". The article concludes that coterminosity has a contribution to purchasing organisations but increasingly at a local level such as the general practice or locality. This local manifestation of coterminosity may minimise the effects of fragmentation and encourage inter-agency collaboration.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of Southampton, Hampshire, U.K.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Exworthy
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peckham
mesh_terms: D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000639:trends*; D005544:Forecasting; D017754:Group Purchasing / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D012947:Social Work / Q000639:trends*; D013222:State Medicine / Q000639:trends*; D006113:United Kingdom