Agenda item

This report provides an overview of the emerging primary care strategy in B&NES and the context within which it is developing.

Corinne Edwards introduced this report to the Select Committee, she explained that in August 2013 NHS England launched ‘Improving general practice – a call to action’. She said that this work sought to engage and support action to transform services in local communities. She stated that growing reports of workforce pressures including recruitment and retention problems were noted.

She informed them the vast majority of GP practices in England hold either GMS or PMS contracts. The GMS contract is nationally negotiated, however all B&NES practices hold PMS contracts, locally agreed to better tackle particular needs of patients based on local priorities. She added that NHS England has undertaken a ‘PMS Review’ to ensure any extra funding above and beyond what an equivalent GMS practice would get is clearly linked to providing extra services.

She said the CCG is currently in joint commissioning arrangements with NHS England and will continue to do so during 2016/17 along with Wiltshire and Swindon CCGs. She added that co-commissioning was an opportunity for CCGs to have increased responsibility and influence over local decisions affecting primary care (medical).

She stated that NHS England and the CCG have invested in the development of a two year local project to pilot aspects supporting our strategy development.  The project, ‘Primary Care – Preparing for the Future’ (PCPF), delivered by Bath and North East Somerset Emergency Medical Services (BEMS+) runs until October 2016.

She explained that in October 2015, NHS England announced details of the ‘Primary Care Transformation Fund’. She said that this national fund covers the period from 2016 to 2019 and provides £750m to improve access and the range of services available in primary care, through investment in premises, technology, the workforce and support for working at scale.

She said that the CCG has been working with GP practices, representatives from Your Health Your Voice, Your Care Your Way and BEMS+ amongst others in order to draw together common themes arising from the relevant activities already underway. She added that this is intended to form the basis of any bid to the fund, and will in turn support the development of a primary care strategy.

Councillor Brian Organ commented that he was pleased to see that the first two practices (Catherine Cottage and Rush Hill) that had been inspected by the CQC had both received overall ratings of ‘Good’. He added that he felt that some members of the public were still finding difficulties in booking emergency appointments, but recognised that the service for longer term appointments was working well.

Councillor Tim Ball commented that he had recently found that the online repeat prescription service had crashed whilst in use and wished to make the appropriate officers aware.

Councillor Eleanor Jackson said that she had been contacted by a number of residents to say that they would like more continuity of service by being able to see the same GP at appointments.

Corinne Edwards replied that she was aware that continuity of GP’s is important to some patients, particularly older people and people with long term conditions, but for many this is not so important.  As part of the transformation fund bid, the wider roles of the Primary Care Team are being considered including administration to relieve some of the burden on GP’s.

Councillor Paul May asked what progress was being made regarding GP’s working together.

Corinne Edwards replied that some practices are moving forward with joint working and considering the different models of alliances, federating, merging, etc.

Councillor Paul May asked if a survey had been considered regarding GPs having specialist skills.

Corinne Edwards replied that a skills analysis has been undertaken by BEMS+ as part of the PCPF project and that younger GP’s are likely to want to develop specialist skills / knowledge.

The Select Committee RESOLVED to note the report.