The New NHS White Paper
The government publishes The New NHS: Modern, Dependable, setting out plans to replace GP fundholding with primary care groups and strengthen cooperation.
Role range: 1997-1999
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Frank Dobson Biography and Timeline
Follow Frank Dobson through 11 dated historical records for Great Britain.
Frank Dobson, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
11Distinct records
1 of 1Page
1997–1999Years on this page
1997
GP Fundholding Phase-Out
Dobson begins the process of ending GP fundholding while retaining a purchaser-provider distinction through new local commissioning arrangements.
Role range: 1997-1999
Primary Care Groups Announced
The government announces primary care groups that will bring general practitioners and community professionals together to plan and commission local health services.
Role range: 1997-1999
Secretary of State for Health Appointment
Dobson becomes Health Secretary and takes responsibility for implementing Labour's programme to reorganise commissioning, reduce market mechanisms and strengthen public-service coordination.
Role range: 1997-1999
1998
A First Class Service
The government publishes A First Class Service, placing clinical governance, quality improvement and stronger national standards at the centre of NHS reform.
Role range: 1997-1999
Clinical Governance Framework
Clinical governance is developed as a formal NHS responsibility, requiring organisations to maintain and improve the quality and safety of patient care.
Role range: 1997-1999
Information for Health Strategy
The Information for Health strategy sets ambitions for electronic records, networked clinical information and improved digital access to evidence across the NHS.
Role range: 1997-1999
NHS Direct Expansion
NHS Direct telephone services expand, giving patients round-the-clock access to nurse-led advice and creating a new national route into urgent health information.
Role range: 1997-1999
1999
GP Fundholding Abolished
GP fundholding is formally abolished and replaced by broader primary-care commissioning arrangements intended to reduce differences between participating and non-participating practices.
Role range: 1997-1999
Primary Care Groups Begin
Primary care groups begin operating across England, giving local doctors and other professionals a larger role in commissioning services for defined populations.
Role range: 1997-1999
National Service Framework for Mental Health
The first National Service Framework for mental health sets national standards for adult services, crisis care, community support and treatment quality.
Role range: 1997-1999
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.