Agenda item

Follow up briefing arising from the last session on GP  workforce and appointments covering :

·  Updated Workforce data where available comparing Southwark to others

·  GP appointment data, with comparisons

The chair introduced this item by explaining that this presentation is also part of the review into Access to Medical Appointments. She recapped that at the last meeting the Commission had a discussion with NHS Southwark Primary Care Network leads, and Martin Wilkinson,  on improving access to GPs and frontline practitioners. At the end of that session the commission asked  for some more information fromthe NHS on:

-Workforce data comparing Southwark to inner city peers, the wider South East London area and rural provision

- GP appointment data, with comparisons.

In order to address the above a briefing has been provided in advance  and following NHS leads will present:

•  Martin Wilkinson full time chief operating officer for Partnership Southwark, who will be leading the local team

•  Dr Nancy Kuchemann, co-chair for Partnership Southwark

A presentation followed and then members were invited to ask questions. The following points were made:

·  Different surgeries vary in their use of  telephone, online and face to face appointments and there are  variations in practice and patient satisfaction . The NHS leads said this is a new system which is difficult to evaluate as certain types of data are not captured.  The national  GP Patient survey was mooted to address this as would give some comparison information and subjective experience.

·  NHS leads said that the early recruitment of social prescribing practitioners is working well and the they are making links with housing, employment and financial support, as these areas do negatively impact on people’s health and wellbeing  .  The fits in with the aim of better utilisation frontline practitioners. In other areas there are limitations in the ability to recruit , such as pharmacists.

·  The number of people registered with a borough GP is different to the population as people can cross borders and to choose a GP.

·  The differences in in recruitment of care coordinators, who assist with providing wrap around care for people with long term conditions. The NHS leads will get back with more on this . 

·  There are two GP hubs in Southwark serving the north and south : Tessa Jowell and Bermondsey Spa, who offer out of hours services . There is an expansion of use of these hubs for more appointments, booked via local GPs. The 111 service can also  now do this . Expanding access to this for more routine appointment, not just urgent is learning from a recent review and use of 111 during the pandemic.

·  GP retention rates and the population of  Lambeth are very similar , and there are initiatives to retain and train done at a South East London level.

·  There are no rules about numbers on the patient registers.

·  NHS leads are small business and that  can be destabilises by staff capacity issues; for example a good GP goes on long term leave .  This can make the workload difficult and precipitate a downward spiral . The federations seek to support and offset these risks by sharing capacity.

·  The Healthwatch recommendations continue to be addressed by Partnership Southwark.

RESOLVED

More information will be provided on Care Coordinator recruitment.