It’s important the new government don’t miss the opportunity to unleash the potential in primary and community services. The health and social care secretary, Wes Streeting, has said encouraging words regarding investment in the sector, but with the pressure on public spending I fear investment may be limited. If the sector received investment, for staff and infrastructure, including premises, it’s not only access to the front door of healthcare that could be improved. Potentially there could be real improvements to population health, reductions of health inequalities, and some relief on hospital pressures.
In an ideal world the primary care (all contractor groups) and community sector, including voluntary, charity and social enterprises would be working cohesively together with clear pathways, so people get the right treatment in the right place at the right time. This may mean practices streaming more patients towards community pharmacy, or other services, to give the practices’ capacity to see those patients that would benefit from continuity of care and need an appointment with a clinician in general practice.
If primary care is allowed to innovate with headspace to work towards outcomes, rather than the how being too prescribed, and within a culture of psychological safety where new ways of working can be tested and refined, the potential of primary and community services could be unlocked.
With traditionally innovative practices and other primary care providers, working within primary care networks, collaborations and other at scale models to get the right support in the right way to people, there is an opportunity to make a real difference. What that difference will be depends on the need and priorities of local populations.
It may be excellent access to the most appropriate healthcare professional, good continuity of care for those needing regular support, proactive care for those at risk of long term conditions, supporting discharge from hospitals, minimising hospital outpatient activity, and many more opportunities to improve health.
One of the building blocks is ensuring that people see the right professional or service and are supported with consistent signposting.
We would like to see primary and community care receive the investment necessary and be supported to flourish and play a key role in supporting the NHS to recover.
PCC would welcome examples of existing innovation and would love to support you to develop primary and community services. Contact enquiries@pcc-cic.org.uk with your examples or to discuss how we can help.
