I’ve had a bit of time to absorb the new GP contract – there’s an excellent summary on GP Online if you don’t want to read it all. While some of the digital notes are a tad off key, I suspect they are a nod to our technophile SoS while the real action is elsewhere.
The centrepiece is Primary Care Networks, PCNs, and we are going to hear lots and lots more about them. Notice how the language has changed, as until quite recently it was all about “GP at scale”, a phrase absent from both BMA and NHS England texts.
Hats off to Richard Vautrey and team.
While the numbers “30 – 50,000” are the same, rather than large scale providers for which no convincing evidence was ever produced, networks of existing providers with no change of scale could make sense.
Steel mills need economies of scale, but GPs don’t, and diseconomies of scale soon show up with loss of continuity, local accessibility and lower patient satisfaction all well known.
But some AHP resources don’t really work at smaller practice level, and it’s clunky to employ for example a pharmacist for 7 hours a week and a physio for 12. At the network level they could work well, and indeed this could rebalance the funding model in favour of smaller practices as funds and resources will be based on list size.
The DES incentivises all practices join a network, and there will be a dash to join up with “people we like” at the local level. Expect a few funny shaped contiguous groups, some larger and some smaller than prescribed, but with a little pushing and shoving the money will ensure it happens.
The labels don’t all say this, but a very large proportion of the new money will effectively go into core funding, and will strengthen GMS partnerships as indeed the Watson review said they should be strengthened. This is a good thing for GP, for the NHS and the population as a whole.
The new and interesting questions arise over how the networks will operate. 22,000 new primary care staff is a lot to take on board, considering only how they are recruited, trained and managed.
Any shared resource raises the problem of “the freedom of the commons”. Currently, the design of A&E, urgent care centres, 111 and so on means they soak up demand from poorly performing GP practices. The reward for failure is for someone else to take your work.
How will the the new AHPs be shared fairly, so quality is rewarded as it should be? (by the way, fair is not the same as equal. Consider the student practice in the seaside town)
Practically, how will GPs make best use of them, appropriately referring the right patients at the right time? What is the patient view?
How will network performance be measured? How soon will patients get the right help? How will outcomes show we’re getting value for money?
The network’s the thing
I’ve had a bit of time to absorb the new GP contract – there’s an excellent summary on GP Online if you don’t want to read it all. While some of the digital notes are a tad off key, I suspect they are a nod to our technophile SoS while the real action is elsewhere.
The centrepiece is Primary Care Networks, PCNs, and we are going to hear lots and lots more about them. Notice how the language has changed, as until quite recently it was all about “GP at scale”, a phrase absent from both BMA and NHS England texts.
Hats off to Richard Vautrey and team.
While the numbers “30 – 50,000” are the same, rather than large scale providers for which no convincing evidence was ever produced, networks of existing providers with no change of scale could make sense.
Steel mills need economies of scale, but GPs don’t, and diseconomies of scale soon show up with loss of continuity, local accessibility and lower patient satisfaction all well known.
But some AHP resources don’t really work at smaller practice level, and it’s clunky to employ for example a pharmacist for 7 hours a week and a physio for 12. At the network level they could work well, and indeed this could rebalance the funding model in favour of smaller practices as funds and resources will be based on list size.
The DES incentivises all practices join a network, and there will be a dash to join up with “people we like” at the local level. Expect a few funny shaped contiguous groups, some larger and some smaller than prescribed, but with a little pushing and shoving the money will ensure it happens.
The labels don’t all say this, but a very large proportion of the new money will effectively go into core funding, and will strengthen GMS partnerships as indeed the Watson review said they should be strengthened. This is a good thing for GP, for the NHS and the population as a whole.
The new and interesting questions arise over how the networks will operate. 22,000 new primary care staff is a lot to take on board, considering only how they are recruited, trained and managed.
Any shared resource raises the problem of “the freedom of the commons”. Currently, the design of A&E, urgent care centres, 111 and so on means they soak up demand from poorly performing GP practices. The reward for failure is for someone else to take your work.
How will the the new AHPs be shared fairly, so quality is rewarded as it should be? (by the way, fair is not the same as equal. Consider the student practice in the seaside town)
Practically, how will GPs make best use of them, appropriately referring the right patients at the right time? What is the patient view?
How will network performance be measured? How soon will patients get the right help? How will outcomes show we’re getting value for money?
No doubt we will return to these themes.
Cogitate as well as celebrate this weekend.
Harry Longman
PS No network yet, but already there with 100% of patients offered online and video consultations, Dr Barry Sullman talks about Balaam St Surgery and astonishing return on investment.
He’s a traditional, local, digital-first practice. Fabulous.
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