Skip to main content

Dr Curran and Partners – Clinical Update 11 May 2023

 

This week, the government published its recovery plan for NHS general practice in England. Thanks to Pulse for the excellent summary. The key areas in the recovery plan include:

1. Patient triage

Provide general practices with digital tools and care navigation training for ‘Modern General Practice Access’ and offer funding to practices that agree to adopt this approach before March 2025.

2. Information Technology

Support general practices on analogue lines to move to digital telephony if they sign up by July 2023.

Enable patients in over 90% of practices to see their records and practice messages, book appointments and order repeat prescriptions using the NHS App by March 2024.

3. Redirecting patients to pharmacy

Launch Pharmacy First so that by end of 2023 community pharmacies can supply prescription-only medicines for seven common conditions.

Expand pharmacy oral contraception and blood pressure services this year, subject to consultation.

4. Self-referral

Ensure integrated care boards (ICBs) expand self-referral pathways by September 2023

ICBs have been asked to put in place:

- direct referral pathways from community optometrists to ophthalmology services for all urgent and elective eye consultations

- self-referral routes to falls response services, musculoskeletal services, audiology-including hearing aid provision, weight management services, community podiatry, and wheelchair and community equipment services.

 5. Workforce

Further expand GP specialty training and make it easier for newly trained GPs who require a visa to remain in England.

Encourage experienced GPs to stay in practice through the pension reforms announced in the Budget and create simpler routes back to practice for the recently retired.

 6. Bureaucracy

Reduce time spent liaising with hospitals – by requiring ICBs to report progress on improving the interface with primary care, in line with recommendations from the Academy of Royal Colleges.

Reduce requests to GPs to verify medical evidence, including by increasing self-certification, by continuing to advance the Bureaucracy Busting Concordat.

 

Key questions

1. How will improving telephone access and online access to records for patients improve access to care?

2. How much workload will pharmacies be able to pick up and will this have a significant effect on GP workload?

3. Will recruitment and retention of GPs, nurses and other primary care staff improve?

4. How can awareness of these changes be raised among patients, particularly those from poorer backgrounds or with limited education and English language skills?

5. We have seen initiatives to improve how secondary care works with primary care in the past but often with little or no success. What will change this time?

 

See https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/analysis/workload/the-gp-recovery-plan-at-a-glance/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Example ADHD Referral Letter

Dear Dr, I am writing to refer a 28-year-old male patient of mine, Mr [Patient's Name], for assessment for the diagnosis and treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). After a thorough clinical assessment, I believe that Mr. [Patient's Name] meets the criteria for adult ADHD as outlined in NHS guidance for primary care teams in SE London. Mr [Patient's Name] has been under my care for XX years and, during this time, he reports several symptoms (greater than five symptoms in total) consistent with ADHD in adults that have been present for more than six months. These symptoms include difficulties in focusing, following through on tasks, hyperactivity, forgetfulness, impulsiveness, restlessness, and irritability. Mr [Patient's Name] also reports being easily distracted, struggling with time management, organisation, and completing tasks efficiently. Many of Mr [Patient's Name]'s symptoms have been present since he was under 12 years old; and have
Post a Comment
Read more

Dr Curran and Partners – Clinical Update 10 August 2023

1. Measles The UKHSA has warned that unless MMR vaccination rates improve, London could experience a large measles outbreak. Measles is potentially a very serious illness with important complications - but is preventable though vaccination.  Please ensure patients and their families are up to date with their vaccinations. Please also check the vaccine status of new patients - particular migrants - and enter details onto the medical record of any vaccines given elsewhere. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/london-at-risk-of-measles-outbreaks-with-modelling-estimating-tens-of-thousands-of-cases 2. Shingles vaccination The shingles vaccine programme is being expanded. From September, GP practices will offer: - Those aged 70-79, 1 dose of Zostavax or 2 doses of Shingrix - People aged 50+ with a weak immune system, 2 doses of Shingrix - Those turning 65 & 70, two doses of Shingrix vaccine. For further details, see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/shingles-vacc
Post a Comment
Read more

Why we need to put an end to the GANFYD culture in the UK

One of the causes of increased workload in general practice are the many requests that doctors get for letters, reports and forms from patients or from external organisations. It’s now so common that doctors have coined a term for it: GANFYD – Get A Note From Your Doctor.  It’s seems that large sections of society can’t function without these “letters from doctors”. Instead of using common sense or employing their own clinical advisers, external organisations make repeated requests to NHS doctors for letters which are often not at all needed. Often the worst offenders come from the public sector – e.g. universities who seem to look upon NHS general practice as a source of free occupational health advice for their students. Universities never – of course - offer to pay for this advice they get from NHS GPs. Instead, university requests will come with a mealy-mouthed statement that any fee is the responsibility of the student. Like doctors are going to impose heavy fees on impoverished s
Post a Comment
Read more