Practice support

Premises utilisation

Not having enough space to make the most effective use of the additional role recruitment scheme (ARRS) staff was a serious concern to a primary care network (PCN) in the Northeast and they approached PCC to help them to identify options to address the issue.

In recognition of the ‘one public space’ approach, we firstly assessed the way in which the PCN was using its own estate. We then looked wider and made contact with the local district council, Community Health Partnerships (CHP), NHS Property Services and local voluntary organisations to identify options there might be for the PCN not only to address its initial concerns, but also to identify ways to address the concept of the integrated neighbourhood team.

We put together a report including costed options for the PCN to consider as well as wider support to look at alternative operating models and a project initiation document (PID) template to use when applying for additional funding.

Business continuity planning

Practices are already required to have business continuity plans (BCPs), but PCC was approached to work with all primary care networks (PCNs) across an integrated care board (ICB) to develop a consistent approach. Our associate first met with key PCN leaders to understand the nature of the locality and the challenges it faced from which a template local BCP was developed.

Following the distribution of the BCP, two face to face workshops were arranged to which all the PCNs attended. The first was to introduce the BCP to the PCNs and underline the importance of a consistent approach. It also described the way in which PCNs should, following the workshop, complete their BCP and how they could then subsequently ‘stress-test’ it. The second workshop provided an opportunity for each PCN to share with each other how they had progressed and lessons learnt from the stress testing.

Feedback following the events included that “The PCNs found the sessions extremely useful and reported that they found the trainer really well informed, offered good advice and was extremely engaging. They are all now looking at business continuity in a new light. An added positive is that some of the PCNs are working together to stress test scenarios.”

CQC turnaround

PCC were approached to provide support to a group of practices that had been given an inadequate rating and put into special measures following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and were at risk of closure. Following discussions with the commissioner, PCC developed a team consisting of an experienced clinician and practice manager to work together with the commissioner and practice’s senior management team. Over the course of five months, our team undertook a comprehensive review of existing working practices and revised both clinical and operational processes and procedures to address the issues highlighted by the CQC. Following the implementation of the revisions, the practices were taken out of special measures and rated good following a reinspection. The client reported that the support they had received throughout the process had been ‘brilliant’.

General practice financial modelling and benchmarking

A modelling exercise tested the affordability of making a new salaried offer to general practices across an organisation outside of England. To undertake the benchmark a PCC independent reviewer worked with the commissioner to understand what they wanted to achieve. They were given access to relevant information including payments made, salary scales and practice profiles. The reviewer was able to benchmark this information against publicly available information relating to payments to general practice and GPs in England for the same year. A detailed report was provided to enable the organisation to consider the future model and next steps. Feedback from the commissioner included: “PCC provided some valuable information, specific to modelling that has been carefully worked out in another area in the UK. This has been really valuable to us and has enabled us to take learning from another area rather than making the mistakes that others already had. We are grateful that PCC were prepared to share their information willingly”.

Share your challenges and see how we can support you contact enquiries@pcc-cic.org.uk.