Agenda item

To provide the Panel with an update on urgent care.  The Panel is asked to note this report.

The Chairman invited Dr Ian Orpen and Corinne Edwards (B&NES CCG) to introduce the report.

Dr Orpen and Corinne Edwards took the Panel through the report.  Corinne Edwards added that planning application for the Urgent Care Centre at the RUH had been approved.

Councillor Lisa Brett asked about the timeframe for implementation of all of the schemes mentioned in the report.

Corinne Edwards responded that winter pressure proposals will run from November 2013 until March 2014 and that all proposals had been looked in terms of the deliverability.

Councillor Brett suggested that the Panel should receive a feedback/review from the CCG on how successful the implementation has been.  The Panel agreed with the suggestion from Councillor Brett.

The Chairman commented that many people don’t know if, when seeking an appointment with the GP, their case is urgent.  The Chairman asked if there is any way of educating the public where the line between urgency and non-urgency, might be.

Corinne Edwards responded that one of the actions plans is to educate reception staff at GPs.  It is crucial how to direct and signpost people to appropriate services.

Dr Orpen added that David Carson talked to GPs and GP forums about primary care and urgent care.  GPs found these sessions quite stimulating because it made them think in a different way.  Dr Orpen also said that one of the problems that primary case is facing at the moment is the workload on every day basis, which has significantly increased and because of that GPs did not have to think about alternative for the primary and urgent care.

Councillor Eleanor Jackson said that she was fascinated with the paragraph in the report describing the presentation delivered by David Carson and asked if it is possible to get more details about that presentation, what was said.

The Chairman suggested that the Panel would welcome David Carson’s report/presentation to be sent to Members of the Panel for them to digest the ideas suggested to GPs and GP forums.

Corinne Edwards took on board this request from the Chairman.

Councillor Brett asked how many GPs were present for this presentation/s.

Dr Orpen responded that all practices were present with 60 (out of just over 110) GPs present.  Some of the GP practices asked for more presentations from David Carson.

Councillor Brett asked what other resources are available to GPs from the CCG.

Dr Orpen reminded the Panel that the CCG do not commission primary care though they are expected to improve quality of primary care.  There is a desire to make improvements; there are tools to support GPs though their time (to see patients etc.) is not supported. 

Councillor Jackson asked if GPs considered the impact that all these new housing developments will have on primary care.

Dr Orpen said that the CCG do not commission primary care though the GPs had raised those issues in some areas (like Peasedown St John).  Expansion of capacity of primary care is a real issue though there are financial challenges for provision of new services.

The Chairman added that the Health and Wellbeing Board will be working closely with the Council and partner organisations on the provision of the Placemaking Plan. 

It was RESOLVED to:

1)  Note the report;

2)  Receive a further update on the Urgent Care provision which should include also an update on all the relevant Primary and Urgent Care schemes; and

3)  Receive a document named ‘Primary Care Foundation’ from the CCG which will be distributed via email to Panel Members.