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NAPC/NHSA Coalition Speaks Out On Commissioning Support Guidance

Press Release

15 December 2011

Yesterday, the Coalition has forwarded to the Department of Health its formal response on the Commissioning Support draft guidance: Towards Excellence. A copy of the response is attached at the bottom of this press release.

The Coalition’s view is that PCT clusters, in partnership with clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), should now be working with other sectors, including the local authority, third and independent sectors to increase the value of the commissioning offer, as well as to ensure, in the interests of the population, that the best value support is available to CCGs as soon as possible.

Annual Conference 08 - Award Winners

Award For Most Advanced Practice Based Commissioning Group/Consortium

The overall winner was Nene Commissioning Group

Nene Commissioning Group was formed in April 2004 as a social enterprise community interest company and comprises 62 practices across Northamptonshire. The consortium includes 273 GPs, covers a population of 520,000 patients and is responsible for a budget of £275m.

The company focuses solely on commissioning services to achieve its goal of improving the health of the population it serves.

2nd Place
In joint second place were Mount View London Street Health Centre in Fleetwood and the South Manchester PBC Consortium.

3rd Place
In third place was Leodis which includes both commissioning and provider arms.

Award For The Most Creative Use of Technology

Johan Taylor, Collecting the award for Marple Cottage Surgery

In first place was Marple Cottage Surgery in Stockport.

Marple Cottage Surgery has developed its own online asthma consultation system, which allows patients to complete regular reviews of their condition remotely.

With chronic diseases, worsening symptoms can occur before the planned review date. Marple Cottage Surgery wanted to develop the means for its patients to ask advice or alert the practice for further help without having to attend the surgery. It is about giving timely advice to prevent worsening conditions, serious events or admissions to hospital.

The system involves patients completing an online consultation relating to their condition. For example, through EMIS Access, they are asked how many times a day they use their blue inhaler. This online consultation is automatically and securely sent to the practice Asthma lead, who creates a new, personalised self-management plan, or, if deemed urgent, calls the patient to make an appointment. The Asthma lead then files the online consultation into the patient’s medical record, for clinical governance purposes. The system also allows the practice to code certain information from the e-consultation directly into the patient record.

2nd Place
In second place was Oakley Medical Practice, a surgery in inner-city Leeds, whose GPs have created multimedia software for health professionals and patients.

3rd Place
In third place was Highfield Surgery in High Wycombe, with the world’s first total tobacco exposure calculator, just half a point behind second place.

Partnership Award

Val Hempsey collecting the award on behalf of Easington PBC group

First place was Easington PBC group and its health partners in the transformation of COPD healthcare delivery.

Easington is a COPD hot spot with a disease prevalence of twice the average for England.

In 2007, the Easington PBC Group established a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency working group to undertake service review, gap analysis and service redesign. The group included patients, social services, wardens’ service, as well ICE (Intermediate Care in Easington, a multi-agency, multi-disciplinary team which provides intensive rehabilitation at home or in a residential setting, following acute admission, A&E attendance, or crisis at home), ambulance services, GP practices and health professionals from acute trusts and primary care. The patient journey was mapped and prioritised for design.

In November 2007 the COPD exacerbation Self-Management Plan was launched in which patients follow a simple flow chart at home. An audit of the use of this flow chart has demonstrated its success and befits in appropriate patients.

2nd Place
In second place was Epsom Down Integrated Care Services in Surrey, with 20 federated GP practices.

3rd Place
In third place, was Askern Medical Practice and its partners in the provision of healthcare to children of travelling communities.

Healthcare Commission's State of Healthcare Report

National Association of Primary Care (NAPC)
Press Release December 2007

Healthcare Commission s State of Healthcare Report
NAPC welcomes the Healthcare Commission s State of Healthcare Report, which provides a very comprehensive assessment of the NHS and private sector provision for the NHS for 2006/7.

Dr James Kingsland, Chairman of NAPC, commented: The report is possibly one of the most penetrative and incisive in the history of the NHS and is welcomed by the Association.

However, it is disappointing to note , he continued, that the performance of primary care trusts (PCTs) has declined during this period, partly, I believe, as a result of the major reorganisation experienced at that time . Another contributory factor accounting in part
for the poor performance of PCTs was the financial state of the NHS. I shall be interested to see if there has been a significant improvement in performance during 2007/8, which will be a real marker of PCT achievements.

Primary care is a complex sector , Dr Kingsland went on, and there are few leaders out in the field, who have a genuine understanding and appreciation of the potential of primary care . These leaders need to be cultivated, some coming from General Practice, and others from outside the NHS. It is possible , he said, with imagination and in partnership with local players, to deliver equally high standards of healthcare to local populations, in underdoctored areas. Opportunities are being wasted , Dr Kingsland stated, because PCTs do not develop constructive relationships with the best of their existing practices, which could provide solutions to local problems. Practice Based Commissioning provides a vehicle to bring about major improvements in services, which is currently not being used to its potential .

Dr Kingsland commented: The vast majority of General Practice delivers world class primary health care services, and opportunities are being missed to harness their enthusiasm and skills to turn poorly performing local authority wards around.

Appointment of Executive Committee

At the 2006 Annual General Meeting of the National Association of Primary Care (NAPC), a powerful executive committee of key players in the field of primary care was appointed for the following 12 months. Dr James Kingsland was returned as Chairman for a further year.

Membership of the Executive Committee comprises:

• Dr Peter Smith, President
• Dr James Kingsland, Chairman
• Mrs Janet Fitzgerald, Vice Chair
• Eric McCullough, Chief Executive
• Dr Johnny Marshall, Treasurer
• Dr Derek Hopper, Honorary Secretary
• Mrs Susan Nutbrown
• Dr Rhidian Morris
• Dr Howard Freeman
• Dr Tim Richardson
• Dr Nav Chana
• Dr Durairaj Jawahar
• Dr Ian Greaves
• Mrs Jose Tarnowski
• Ray Guy
• Lance Gardner

Mrs Susan Nutbrown, Chair of the Practice Nurses’ Association, commented: ‘I am delighted to be part of this vibrant and influential organisation, which is leading the field in the modernisation of primary care. The relationship between my Association and NAPC is invaluable in taking forward many important and exciting initiatives’.

‘My relationship with NAPC has been hugely influential in developing good relationships with practices where I work,’ said Mrs Janet Fitzgerald, recently appointed Chief Executive of Buckinghamshire Primary Care Trust.

After his re-appointment to the Executive Committee, Dr Tim Richardson of EDICS, Epsom, stated: ‘These are very challenging and fast-moving times in the NHS; my association with NAPC has been important in influencing and supporting me and my colleagues in addressing the changes taking place’.

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