Summary
Over 20,000 physiotherapists, pharmacists, paramedics, physician associates, and social prescribing support workers will be recruited by NHS England to work with general practices. The aim is to help relieve workload pressures on GPs.
Reference
GPs create 100,000 extra patient appointments through Primary Care Network model. [Online]: NHS England, February 1st 2019.
Further:
Reference
Triggle, N. (2019). The GP substitute will see you now. London: BBC Health News, January 31st 2019.
“By 2023/24, the PCN contract is expected to invest £1.799 billion, or £1.47 million per typical network covering 50,000 people. This will include funding for around 20,000 more health professionals including additional clinical pharmacists, physician associates, first contact physiotherapists, community paramedics and social prescribing link workers”.
Primary Care Networks (PCNs):
A new shared savings scheme will mean PCN GPs benefit from work to reduce avoidable A&E attendances, reduce hospital admissions, reduce delayed discharges, reduce avoidable outpatient visits and reduce over-medication through pharmacy reviews:
Reference
GP contract five-year framework. [Online]: NHS England, February 1st 2019.
This relates to the five-year framework for GP services agreed between NHS England and the BMA General Practitioners Committee (GPC) in England. This covers the commitments in the NHS Long Term Plan regarding a five-year GP services contract.
Reference
Investment and evolution: a five-year framework for GP contract reform to implement The NHS Long Term Plan. London: NHS England, January 31st 2019.
May 2019 Update
The NHS Long Term Plan involves 200 clinical pharmacists and pharmacy technicians being employed to support care home residents. The aim is to improve the quality of life for care home residents, reduce avoidable hospital admissions and reduce over-medication; with potential savings for the NHS of £250 million each year (estimated).
“Around 400,000 people live in England’s 17,000 nursing and residential care homes with one in seven residents aged 85 or over. Elderly residents in particular often have one or more long-term health conditions… They spend around two million days in hospital each year and account for about 250,000 emergency hospital admissions. Some 35%-40% of these admissions are thought to be avoidable through action such as tackling over medication”. Professor Alistair Burns, National Clinical Director for Dementia and Older People’s Mental Health at NHS England.
Reference
Army of NHS experts brought in to care homes to tackle over-medication. London: NHS England, May 10th 2019.
Social Prescribing Link Worker Role
Information from NHS England on how Primary Care Networks (PCNs) will add social prescribing link workers to their multi-disciplinary teams (with funding for expansion of the primary care workforce, as specified in GP contract reforms).
Reference
Social prescribing link workers: reference guide for primary care networks. London: NHS England / Personalised Care Group, July 30th 2019.
The Comprehensive Personalised Care Model
The new Comprehensive Personalised Care Model is designed to promote patients’ choice and control over their mental and physical health. The NHS Long Term Plan says personalised care will become business as usual across the health and care system via Universal Personalised Care.
Further information:
Reference
Universal personalised care: implementing the comprehensive model. London: NHS England, January 31st 2019.
This relates to:
Reference
Personalised health and care framework. [Online]: NHS England, 2017-2019.
There is an animation on YouTube.
