Agenda item

The Committee received the first update report on progress made against recommendations and actions identified from the review of GP Access in Gateshead.

Access to GP services continues to be a key issue for local communities across the borough as a whole, whether from urban or more rural areas. The Committee received a significant amount of evidence as part of the review and undertook a series of visits to GP practices and other sites across the borough in order to scrutinise current arrangements in place, gain a better understanding of both the challenges and opportunities relating to GP access and the quality of care provided.

In particular, the evidence gathering sessions and site visits focused on:

·         Key issues relating to ‘Access’ to GP services, drawing on survey findings and other evidence on GP appointments, opening hours, out-of-hours etc;

·         Issues relating to the quality and experience of care;

·         GP Access and quality of care in the broader context of service developments/initiatives relevant to the review topic

Committee members acknowledged the input of GP practices to the review and expressed their thanks to their practice managers. The Committee also expressed its thanks to Newcastle Gateshead CCG, NHS England Cumbria and North East, Healthwatch Gateshead and Gateshead Community Based Care Ltd for their contributions to the review.

The Committee noted that a strong partnership approach is essential to ensure appropriate, timely and quality GP services can be accessed by Gateshead residents. Patients themselves also have a key role to play in providing feedback to their practice.

It was reported to Committee that Practice Action Plans are developed by all practices working with Newcastle Gateshead CCG and NHS England and are reviewed and updated annually. In continuing to develop these plans in the future, it was recommended that a specific focus is placed on ways individual practices can enhance access to GP services for their patients and actions that can be taken in  this area. It was also noted that practice facilitators will continue to support practices in taking these actions forward.

The headline findings of the review acknowledged the opportunity to build upon existing work and continue the direction of travel set by local NHS Partners and GP practices themselves to enhance access to GP services in Gateshead.

Six priorities and actions were identified and the Committee received an update on the progress to date in these areas:-

1) Access and Appointments

2) Addressing Variation in Quality

3) Estates

4) Workforce

5) IT

6) Patient Engagement

The Committee noted that some key achievements were that the most recent national General Practice Patient Survey reports that overall good experience of out of hours services in the Gateshead area has increased from 55 to 70%. In addition 90% of those responding to the GatDoc Survey regarding satisfaction with the out of hours service gave a rating of Good to Excellent as at June 2016.

In addition 100% of GP practices had signed up to the Practice engagement scheme with a 100% return of practice engagement plans which are now being monitored and the first Practice Learning and Sharing event was being held in October to help raise standards and reduce variation across practices. Quarterly meetings were now also being held with CQC to triangulate information to improve services and these were going well.

A GP fellowship scheme is also being worked up to attract 4 new GP’s into the CCG footprint next year.

The Committee considered that the CCG should be congratulated on the progress made so far in supporting work to raise standards and reduce variation across GP practices. The Committee was also pleased to see the development of the GP fellowship scheme as they felt it important that Gateshead is seen by GPs as a good place to work.

The Committee welcomed the progress reported but asked if in future the action plan could also indicate specific timeframes for actions and use a red, amber and green system to highlight the status of progress as this would identify areas of success/concern more easily.

RESOLVED – (i) that the pleasing progress achieved in the last six months be noted.

                       (ii) that the OSC is satisfied with the level of progress to date and

                            will receive further updates as appropriate.