Improving Access to Primary Care
Improving Access to Primary Care
It is a key Government target to make primary care – GPs, opticians, dentists, pharmacists and community health services – more accessible for patients.
The NHS Plan (2000) set a target where all patients should have the opportunity to be seen by a GP within two working days and by a primary care professional within one working day.
The PCT is working closely with its primary care partners to make it easier and more convenient for people in Nottinghamshire to get the help they need.
We are spearheading a range of initiatives to drive forward improvements. They include:
The NHS Plan (2000) set a target where all patients should have the opportunity to be seen by a GP within two working days and by a primary care professional within one working day.
The PCT is working closely with its primary care partners to make it easier and more convenient for people in Nottinghamshire to get the help they need.
We are spearheading a range of initiatives to drive forward improvements. They include:
- Improving the physical premises where health services are being delivered
- Working with GP practices to extend opening hours
- Making it easier to book appointments
- Encouraging GPs to set up practices and provide services in areas with GP shortages
New Facilities
The PCT is investing millions of pounds into upgrading or replacing out of date health facilities to ensure they are fit for the demands of a modern health service.
The PCT has entered into a 25-year partnership with the private sector under LIFT (Local Improvement Finance Trust), a Government initiative to supplement investment in primary care and community facilities.
The LIFT partnership also includes Nottingham City Primary Care Trust, Bassetlaw Primary Care Trust, the Department of Health’s Partnerships for Health, private sector partner Primary Plus Ltd, and for some schemes Nottingham City Council.
Since the scheme was launched two years ago new primary care centres have been built in:
The PCT is investing millions of pounds into upgrading or replacing out of date health facilities to ensure they are fit for the demands of a modern health service.
The PCT has entered into a 25-year partnership with the private sector under LIFT (Local Improvement Finance Trust), a Government initiative to supplement investment in primary care and community facilities.
The LIFT partnership also includes Nottingham City Primary Care Trust, Bassetlaw Primary Care Trust, the Department of Health’s Partnerships for Health, private sector partner Primary Plus Ltd, and for some schemes Nottingham City Council.
Since the scheme was launched two years ago new primary care centres have been built in:
- Ashfield Health Village, Kirkby in Ashfield.
- Balderton.
- Bull Farm, Mansfield.
- Carlton.
- Keyworth
- Rainworth
- Stapleford
- Warsop
In many instances the new primary care centres have brought GP practices and community health services together under one roof and offered the opportunity to expand the range of services available to the local community.
The LIFT partnership is also being used to extend and/or refurbish other health centres and doctors surgeries across the county as well as community hospitals and wards.
More information about LIFT is available at: www.nnlift.co.uk
New Technologies
The PCT is encouraging GP practices to embrace new technologies to enhance the services they are able to offer.
Already a number of practices across the county are operating email booking systems.
Telephone consultations are rapidly becoming a recognised way of working across a wide range of practices with the service being popular with patients.
Helping Under-Doctored Areas
The PCT has acknowledged that some communities in Nottinghamshire do not have enough GPs for the size of their population.
In particular, a Department of Health report in 2006 showed that Ashfield ranked third nationally for having fewer family doctors per head of the population. It is recommended that there should be 1,800 patients per GP. Based on this, it has been identified that two extra GPs are needed in Kirkby-in-Ashfield.
The PCT has secured funding from the Government under its ‘Fairness in Primary Care’ scheme to turn a vacant ward at Ashfield Health Village into a primary care centre and to put out a tender to secure a provider to run a GP practice there. The new practice will provide all essential primary care services currently provided at traditional GP practices but will also offer a range of enhanced services as well as extended opening hours.
The LIFT partnership is also being used to extend and/or refurbish other health centres and doctors surgeries across the county as well as community hospitals and wards.
More information about LIFT is available at: www.nnlift.co.uk
New Technologies
The PCT is encouraging GP practices to embrace new technologies to enhance the services they are able to offer.
Already a number of practices across the county are operating email booking systems.
Telephone consultations are rapidly becoming a recognised way of working across a wide range of practices with the service being popular with patients.
Helping Under-Doctored Areas
The PCT has acknowledged that some communities in Nottinghamshire do not have enough GPs for the size of their population.
In particular, a Department of Health report in 2006 showed that Ashfield ranked third nationally for having fewer family doctors per head of the population. It is recommended that there should be 1,800 patients per GP. Based on this, it has been identified that two extra GPs are needed in Kirkby-in-Ashfield.
The PCT has secured funding from the Government under its ‘Fairness in Primary Care’ scheme to turn a vacant ward at Ashfield Health Village into a primary care centre and to put out a tender to secure a provider to run a GP practice there. The new practice will provide all essential primary care services currently provided at traditional GP practices but will also offer a range of enhanced services as well as extended opening hours.
