Tips on where to start to make incremental changes, to build relationships and trust for the future, as primary care starts on the journey to work collaboratively at scale to deliver the service change envisaged in the 10 Year Health Plan.
It’s all feeling rather complex at the moment, change and uncertainty abounds, buzz words, strategic commissioning, multi-neighbourhood providers (MNPs), single neightbourhood providers (SNPs) and many more are in the air. So what are the steps to take to be ready for the future.
- Talk to other providers, the community and voluntary sector
- Invite them to meet you, see what you can offer
- Discuss shared problem areas
- Identify areas you can work on together
- Engage local people – what matters to them
- Identify a patient cohort to start with
- Gather data and information
- What needs to happen where? What is the role of primary care, acute trust, social care etc
- What should be the outcomes?
- Where is the money now?
Start small incremental changes, review regularly, celebrate success . Make it safe to admit when things are not working as they should, and allow everyone to have a voice.
Key to this will be to trust partners and to get the governance right in primary care to enable the voice of GP practices, optometrists, dentists and community pharmacy to be heard at the provider board table. Developing the culture and trust to work collaboratively at scale is the real challenge for primary care now.
PCC’s workshop programme can help, with sessions on local engagement, outcomes and value, population health, and more, visit www.pcc-cic.org.uk/events
We also provide bespoke support contact enquiries@pcc-cic.org.uk.
