NHS Kent and Medway’s five-year primary care strategy has been published, with a focus on improving access through digital front doors, increased use of the NHS app, and digital appointment systems. It highlights same day access hubs, online consultations, cloud telephony, care navigation and triage, and access to self-care, with key enablers including workforce, estates, digital technology, and communications.
Sukh Singh, director of primary and community care at the ICB, said the changes introduced reflect the move to a position where “everyone will be triaged, a bit like when you arrive at a hospital”. To support this, the ICB commits to implementing a demand management system which will support links between practices, neighbourhood teams, and the wider ICB, with the Kent and Medway Operational Coordination Centre integrating primary care into the system work already underway.
Data will drive prevention and proactive care, with the aim of developing a “learning health system” that promotes digital maturity, data analytics, and research, with tech such as data platforms, tools, and systems used to deliver improvements around prevention, early detection, and patient outcomes.
In support of this, the ICB outlines plans to continue to develop an MDT workforce, aligned to integrated neighbourhood teams (INTs), with education, training, recruitment, retention, and continuous improvement opportunities centred around upskilling the workforce in areas including digital skills, workforce planning, and quality improvement.
“Our vision for a seamless patient experience in their neighbourhood will be driven by shared data, interoperable software and analytical tools”, the strategy shares, with patient access and empowerment supported by offering a number of services through the NHS app. Data will be allowed to flow “seamlessly” between care providers, digital tools will help patients self-monitor health, and it also plans for the increased use of AI and automation in areas such as patient triage, referral management, and administrative tasks.
By the end of 2024, the ICB aims to have completed work including a review of digital infrastructure and the development of an “architecture map” across the primary care setting. 2025 will see a focus on workforce modelling and strategic resource plans; 2026 will work toward same day appointments and the development of a framework for primary care providers to implement an innovation and “evaluate opportunities for wider scale and spread”; whilst by 2027 the aims are for improved access experience and long-term condition management.
For integrated IT solutions, the strategy shares that by the end of 2024 the ICB will have completed the mapping of tech and IT infrastructure, with an implementation plan developed by 2025 and executed by 2026, and a review of the model of care to ensure IT infrastructure is “still fit for purpose” set for 2027.
To read Kent and Medway’s Primary Care Strategy in full, please click here.
Access in primary care
For a HTN webinar earlier this year, we were joined by members of the NHS England Blueprinting Team, along with Sue Houston (associate operational commander OCC) and Sue Luff (associate director UEC and OCC) from Kent and Medway ICS, to talk about their operational control centre blueprint.
Findings from the GP Patient Survey 2024 assessed patient experiences of healthcare services provided by GP practices, including access, making contact with practices, quality of care, experiences of services outside of opening hours, and experiences of NHS dental and pharmacy services.
NHS Greater Manchester Board shared an update on its primary care blueprint, highlighting “positive progress” around the adoption of the modern general practice access model and the use of digital to support patient care; whilst Black Country ICB shared how its digital first primary care team led a GP website improvement programme, supporting all 171 GP practices in the Black Country to update their websites as part of efforts to improve accessibility and ensure that sites are user friendly.
Digital and data in primary care
In August, a HTN panel discussion focused on innovation in primary care, with a panel of experts from the sector offering their thoughts and insights on what “good” looks like for primary care innovation, the use of technology to promote patient access, and the challenges around innovating.
Statistics published by NHS England earlier in November on appointments in general practice also showed an increase of almost 900,000 in the number of appointments delivered online or through video conferencing.
Don’t miss out! Join us for the HTN Primary Care Awards 2024, celebrating GP practices, primary care networks, integrated care boards and suppliers who have delivered improvement in the primary care space. The awards programme will provide a platform to share innovations, case studies, collaborations and solutions which have made a difference, and shine a spotlight on the breadth of innovative thinking and hard work happening across primary care.
Be sure to register for our upcoming panel discussion on utilising data to transform primary care, which will see HTN joined by a panel of experts for a live discussion on how general practice, PCNs, ICBs can utilise data and leverage technology to support operational efficiencies and improvements across primary care.
