NHS Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven CCG, NHS Bradford City CCG and NHS Bradford Districts CCG will submit Document “AB” which describes initiatives that CCGs and primary care providers are undertaking to improve the quality of services delivered, which includes access and how they are engaging patients in the process.

Recommended –

(1)       That the Clinical Commissioning Groups’ commitment and actions taken to improve access to appropriate primary medical care services be noted.

(2)       That the initiatives being developed that will impact the primary medical service offer to residents be noted.

(Victoria Wallace – 01274 237524)

NHS Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven CCG, NHS Bradford City CCG and NHS Bradford Districts CCG submitted Document “AB” which described initiatives that CCGs and primary care providers were undertaking to improve the quality of services delivered, which included access and how they were engaging patients in the process.

The Deputy Director of Accountable Care Bradford provided an overview of the report.  She referred to the most recent results of the national GP patient survey data (January to March 2017) as outlined in paragraph 3.1, which showed a slight improvement in all three CCG areas, in response to a question about GP access when compared with the previous year.  It was reported that the one practice in the Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven CCG area which was skewing the results negatively was based in Keighley, however work had been done to improve access issues at that practice so the survey results going forward should improve.  It was reported that a nationally commissioned extended access service was being rolled out across the district, by April 2018 it was due to serve 50% of the population and 100% coverage was expected by October 2018.  Members were updated on the development of Primary Care Home communities, locality hubs and the development of new roles within this model.  Members were informed that the mobile app mentioned in paragraph 3.3.6 of the report was not yet in place.

A Member raised concerns about the use of an online consultation system as patients could easily miss out on informing the medical professional about critical information.  In response, it was reported that clarification was still being awaited about how the system would work and practices would not be required to use it but this was a system being delivered nationally and was one which the CCGs were required to commission.

The Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing stated that there needed to be elected Member involvement in the locality work undertaken within Primary Care Home communities.  The Head of Design and Delivery, Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven CCG endorsed this and stated that talks were underway with the Council’s neighbourhood offices in developing the service.

A representative of the Local Medical Committee (YORLMC), while welcoming the Primary Care Home model, spoke of the pressures on existing staff with excessive demand on primary medical care with marginal funding to support new ways of working.

A Member stated that the Strategic Disability Partnership had serious concerns about accessibility. She considered that those GP practices that had a good working relationship with their Patient Participation Group (PPG) were in the minority and despite concerns about accessibility being raised previously there were still GP practices that were not flagging patients with disabilities or communicating in a way that met their needs.  She urged for a more honest appraisal of PPGs.  In response, the GP Lead for the Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven CCG accepted that the level of PPG engagement across the district varied but stated that there were practices that had stated they were trying hard to get a good representation on their PPG but were finding it difficult to recruit volunteer patients.  He stated that a ‘big conversation' with people across the local area had been held in 2017 about the future of health and social care services with the aim to find out what mattered most to people, where there might be willingness to compromise and what could be done differently in future.  The Member stated that the Strategic Disability Partnership had also received complaints from disabled people that those consultations had been inaccessible and that the term ‘home’ in ‘Primary Care Home communities’ was confusing for disabled people as it gave the impression that the service delivery would take place in their home.

A discussion took place about the emerging care model and Members were informed that, as it was in the very early stages, questions about how it would work could not yet be answered.  Members were reassured that decisions would still continue to be made on the basis of safety first.

Resolved –

That a progress report be submitted in 12 months.

ACTION: NHS Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven CCG, NHS Bradford City CCG and NHS Bradford Districts CCG