Agenda item

This report provides an update on the following areas:

·         Patient experience of booking a GP appointment

·         GP access arrangements – Extended Hours

·         Services commissioned from GP Practices

·         Practice locations and detail in relation to GP workforce numbers in Hammersmith and Fulham.

It also provides information on other areas that can impact the availability of GP services to patients, in order to provide Committee members with a full overview of GP access arrangements in Hammersmith and Fulham.

Julie Sands and Vanessa Andrea introduced and summarised the report.  They talked about the patient experience in booking an appointment and the national patient survey results. The other areas covered were GP access arrangements and extended out of hours services, patient engagement and the range of commissioned services. They also talked about practice locations, the GP workforce and promotion and awareness of out of hospital services.

Julie Sands in response to questions from Councillor Carlebach stated that data was available for each borough. She agreed to provide this data to the Committee.  She also confirmed that when a GP practice closes that vulnerable patients are contacted and given additional support to re-register.  Vanessa Andrea also confirmed that residents were able to use walk in services regardless of which part of the borough they lived in and that there was a local pilot to register homeless people which GPs were aware of.

Action: JS

Councillor Brown commented that it was good news to be above the ‘London Average’ and that the extended hours scheme was a fantastic service.  In response to a question on extended hours, Vanessa Andrea confirmed that 80% of availability had been booked and 26 practices were using weekend plus.  She added it was an upward trend and that they were currently re-negotiating for the future. 

In response to questions from Councillor Barlow, it was confirmed by Vanessa Andrea that workforce planning was an issue.  There was no guidance on the number of GP’s in a Borough.  She added that they were aware of the need to work with partners on this issue and that extended hours were worked by existing GP’s.  It was also confirmed that the names of services in the report were not customer facing names and the aim was to keep it simple for service users.

Vanessa Andrea in response to questions from Patrick McVeigh stated that it was possible to train receptionists to ask questions to help patients establish how urgent their condition was but that it was essentially up to individual GP practices how they managed themselves. She added that people should not underestimate the nursing resource that was available and that there were  also lots of helpful local initiatives. 

Julie Sands confirmed in response to questions from the Chair Councillor Vaughan that the GP contract set out what had to be delivered to patients but not how it should be delivered but that they monitored adherence to contracts.  .  She also confirmed that the patient survey covered the registered patient population.  It is difficult to measure the unregistered population but information on how to register with a doctor is given out at local hospitals.

Julie Sands stated in response to questions from Councillor Holder that in order to improve satisfaction levels with same day access  constant monitoring of demand and supply for appointments by practices was necessary which could be very challenging. She added that they had captured good practice models for use by practices and sharing.  Vanessa Andrea confirmed that urgent care - out of hours and 111 was provided by Central West London (CWL) in Hammersmith and Fulham.   CWL was the provider for all opted-out, out of hours services in H & F.  She also confirmed that the patient engagement committee and participation groups were looking at the issue of communication that were raised at the Neighbourhood Health Forum.  She would keep Councillor Holder informed of progress. She also agreed to provide information on Primary Care Investment to Councillor Holder after the Co-commissioning meeting on Wednesday. 

Action VA

In response to a question from Bryan Naylor it was agreed by Vanessa Andrea that she would liaise with him directly on the issue of the homeless night shelter. 

Action:  VA

Bryan Naylor commented that the issue of vulnerable people having to call first thing in the morning needed urgent attention.  He also expressed concerns that GPs were prioritising care plan appointments for which they were paid extra.  Julie Sands confirmed that his concern was widely shared with regard to patients having to call at 08.00am to book an appointment.  Vanessa Andrea added that the best way to address this issue was via the patient participation groups as GPs were able to decide how they managed their services.  She also added that there was no correlation between care plan appointments and getting to see a GP.

Councillor Vaughan stated that the survey was positive although the issue of same day appointments was frustrating for people. He added that the influence of patient participation groups was key to finding solutions. He also added that the take up of extended hours services had also been successful and that the issues raised by the Neighbourhood Health Forum around communications were important to respond to.

RESOLVED:-

That the report be noted.