Digital-first update - October 2019
At the end of September NHS England’s board agreed proposals put forward following its most recent digital-first consultation.
The NHS England board paper on digital-first recommendations can be viewed here. The main issues decided on where:
- Out-of-area registrations will be allowed to continue, with out-of-area patients funded at the same level as those living within practice boundaries.
- The new patient registration premium remains unchanged.
- Once a digital-first practice has over 1,000 patients registered within a CCG area, these patients will be ‘desegregated’ into a new list as part of a new APMS contract, with the requirement that the provider offer appointments from a premises inside the CCG area.
- Details of how this process will work have yet to be published and it will require changes to GMS regulations to be approved by the DHSC.
Londonwide LMCs’ response
Dr Michelle Drage, our Chief Executive, issued the following statement about the agreed changes, which was covered by Pulse:
"Areas that are under-doctored may (and probably do) have patients with a high level of complex need, patients who may struggle to use a digital first model, issues regarding IT literacy, and infrastructure and access challenges which add to health inequalities. Digital services should be developed in an integrated way, alongside other services within existing practices so that they are there to be used if required. Evidence shows that primary care is best delivered by expert generalists working with registered lists in defined geographic communities. The core funding that allows and supports this care delivery at individual and population level must be maintained and, where possible, increased.
"In order for investment in digital health tools to fit with the values of general practice, such tools must directly reduce health inequalities, or free up resource which can be directed to other methods of care delivery which are proven to do so. It is critical that more focus is placed on understanding the high turnover rate for patients registered with digital first providers; a point made in the recently published ‘independent evaluation’ of Babylon GP at Hand, conducted by Ipsos Mori.
"For the potential of digital health to be realised, all practices need the infrastructure to provide it, the knowledge to use it effectively, and the patient demand to justify the investment of time/ money in new systems and ways of working. Online access and consulting could reduce the need for attendance at GP practices and appointments in the long-term. How to apply the technology in ways which actually do this needs to be established by rigorous evaluation, rather just the belief that rolling out more online services will somehow inherently reduce workload.”
The Londonwide LMCs response to the digital-first consultation can be viewed here.
Babylon GP at Hand expansion
Babylon GP at Hand, the main digital-first NHS GP service, has recently expanded into Birmingham and is planning to launch in Manchester. At the end of September, it opened a new clinic in Raynes Park, Merton and has plans for further GP services in Upper Woburn Place, Camden and Bendall Mews, Westminster.
GP IT Futures suppliers
Separately to NHS England’s digital-first announcements, NHS Digital has named 70 approved suppliers for its GP IT Futures framework. The GP IT Futures framework is part of NHS Digital’s plan to allow more IT companies to produce applications and tools which will connect to the main clinical systems used by practices, such as EMIS and SystmOne.
The full list of suppliers can be found here.
Last updated : 31 Oct 2019Responsible Oxygen Prescribing (04 Sep 2015)
The London Respiratory Network have asked us to re-circulate a copy of the London Clinical Oxygen Network (LCON) key messages for Responsible Oxygen use in adults...Patient Complaints - The DOs and DON'Ts - two half day workshops, Thursday 7 October 2015 (03 Sep 2015)
Is your practice as productive as it could be? Business health check event, 24 September 2015 - book your place now (02 Sep 2015)
...August Newsletter (13 Aug 2015)
Londonwide LMCs NewsletterMaking health and social care information accessible (12 Aug 2015)
The new Accessible Information Standards for GP Practices has been launched by NHS England and comes into force on 31 July 2016. Practices must ensure that all information...Men ACWY – Sign up guidance and Action Card for GPs from NHS England (12 Aug 2015)
Following enquiries received from practices regarding the Men ACWY programme, NHS England has issued brief guidance about the sign up process for this...GMS global sum calculation and data request for atypical population profiles (12 Aug 2015)
The BMA have produced a document that details how the global sum allocation (Carr-Hill formula) determines funding for GMS practices. This has been published in response to...PHP Reflective Practice Master Classes beginning 12 September 2015 (12 Aug 2015)
Each Master Class helps individuals to identify both the organisational and psychological barriers to change and personal development. Participants will have the choice of attending one of the following...Friends and Family Test:Â Disappointing news for London practices (12 Aug 2015)
Although it is a contractual requirement for practices to carry out the Friends and Family Test (F&FT) and submit data each month, the May return for London was a disappointing...New pan-London Cervical Sample Taker Database (CTSD) (12 Aug 2015)
NHS England has commissioned a web-based Cervical Sample Taker Database (CSTD) for the quality assurance of sample taking in London. The database enables the allocation of unique sample taker codes...Guidance
We provide expert guidance for practices in our guidance section, as well as an archive of other materials you may find useful.
GP Support
Contact our GP Support team if you need help or advice.
The team provide professional and pastoral support to GPs and practice teams on a broad range of issues.