Midlands Decision Support Network -
This report explores the issue of GP practice productivity and efficiency — how it might be measured, how it has changed over time, the degree of geographic variation, and the relationship between productivity, efficiency, and continuity of care for patients.
Midlands Decision Support Network -
This paper finds that the use of GP practice consultations increases with age and with levels of morbidity. Since 2008, the population has aged and age-specific morbidity levels have increased. This suggests that need for GP practice consultations has grown, whilst the average number of consultations per person has reduced. It is estimated that in 2019, a patient was 12.2% less likely to receive a consultation than a patient with similar needs in 2012. An additional 36.6 million consultations (+13.9%) would have been required to meet needs in 2019 as they were in 2012.
Midlands Decision Support Network -
This paper explores the long-term trends in GP practice consultation rates. It uses two research databases, Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) Gold and Aurum, to estimate consultation rates between 1995 and 2022. The paper considers all interactions between a patient and a healthcare professional: face-to-face consultations in the GP practice, consultations conducted by telephone, or using digital technologies, and visits made to the patient. The results are set out alongside (1) estimates from other studies, (2) new data on GP appointment rates, (3) GP patient survey results, (4) information about the GP practice workforce and its workload, and (5) data on other important forms of GP Practice activity.
NHS Providers -
This briefing highlights the benefits of supporting people with frailty in the community at every stage of the frailty care pathway, while considering the risks to be managed. It shares examples of good practice, and explores some of the barriers to further progress, looking at what can be done to address these and ensure people with frailty receive the right care at the right time in the right place.
The Health Foundation -
This briefing finds that, in recent years, public satisfaction with access to general practice has plummeted. Patients are finding it harder to make appointments, and feeling increasingly dissatisfied with waiting times and the types of appointment offered. However, despite having fewer GPs in England than there were in 2015, general practice is now delivering record numbers of appointments. It looks at ways of improving access to general practice, beyond increasing the supply of appointments.
Royal Pharmaceutical Society -
Community Pharmacy England, the Company Chemists’ Association, the National Pharmacy Association and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society have published a joint manifesto for community pharmacy, ahead of the next general election. Election candidates will be asked to show their support and back a six-point plan to “unleash the potential of community pharmacy".
Department of Health and Social Care -
This report provides a response to the House of Lords committee report, Patients at the centre: integrating primary and community care, published on 15 December 2023. This is the government’s response to the committee’s recommendations contained in the report which explored how integrating services could address the challenges facing primary and community care.
The King's Fund -
This report explores the factors that have prevented successive governments from achieving this vision so far and proposes several steps to begin this shift.
Department of Health and Social Care -
This plan sets out a national programme of actions for the recovery and reform of NHS dentistry services in England. It aims to prevent poor oral health, boost access to services and activity, and support and develop the whole dental workforce.
NHS Confederation -
The Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) was introduced in response to government manifesto commitments to improve access and workforce pressures in primary care. The scheme has begun to address many of the long-term challenges facing primary care and has successfully met every target set in 2019. This report reflects on the success of the ARRS against the original aims and its progress towards overcoming existing challenges in primary care. It provides a set of recommendations for how the scheme can develop beyond 2025.