NHS staff across England are to take control of the community services delivered around the country, in an effort to improve the outcomes for patients and transform patient care.

From April 2011, all Primary Care Trusts will have separated the commissioning of community services from their provision, the Department of Health has announced.

It means that all staff and services will be transferred to new organisations such as Community Foundation Trusts and Social Enterprises, although some may integrate with existing providers. The decision forms part of the Transforming Community Services programme which aims to deliver more personalised care to patients and closer to home.

Community services play an integral part of local NHS, employing around 200,000 staff which include those in occupational therapy jobs. The services aim to provide people in vulnerable circumstances with essential care and represents around £10bn of NHS spend.

Simon Burns Minister of State for Health told The Gov Monitor: "Frontline staff will be in the driving seat to improve quality and integrate services to ensure the most effective outcomes for their patients. There will be further benefits, frontline staff are best placed to provide the most efficient services so that local NHS money goes further."

"Plans are in place for Social Enterprises to provide almost £900m of services a year - a major step towards our ambition to create the largest and most vibrant social enterprise sector in the world," he added.