A personal journey towards any qualified provider in the NHS.

Any Qualified Provider (AQP) is a new and exciting way of organising health care that offers patient choice and cost-effective care. But there are many rumours and 'Chinese whispers' that are causing concern among healthcare workers throughout the UK. Although not all the rumours are false, there is a general misunderstanding of what AQP can provide and its potential to raise standards and lower costs throughout the NHS. This paper asks: can its promises be achieved? It also shows how AQP may work, through a personal experience of commissioning.