Issue - meetings

The Board received a report and presentation from the NHS Director for Halton Place, which provided an update on Primary Care Access in Halton.

The presentation set out the current position within Halton and also highlighted the Primary Care Access Recovery Programme (PCARP) across Cheshire and Merseyside, including Halton.  Nationally, general practice was delivering more than 1m appointments every day and half a million more every week than pre-pandemic.  GP’s in Halton had delivered almost 705,000 appointments between April 2022 and March 2023 and the service had seen a range of developments which had grown the workforce to meet rising demand and the needs of an ageing population.

Members were advised however, that the pandemic had changed the landscape and the increase in practice capacity needed to keep pace with growing demand.  They were advised of The Fuller Stocktake Report, which built a broad consensus on the vision for integrating primary care with three essential elements: streamlining access to care and advice; providing more proactive, personalised care from a multidisciplinary team of professionals; and helping people stay well for longer.  This remained the intent and was part of the strategic objectives set out for integrated neighbourhood delivery and multi-disciplinary team working within Halton.

The report described the two central ambitions of the PCARP and four areas of focus identified that would support the recovery, in relation to the first element.  Progress would be monitored and reported over the next 12 months and beyond, to ensure that the improvements outlined were as effective as possible.

Following Members’ comments, the following was noted:

·         The percentage of appointments that were provided by GP’s from April 22 to March 23 was 51%.  It was explained that the other 49% of appointments were provided by other practitioners, such as Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs) and other specialist staff, depending on the condition being experienced by the patient;

·         It was planned to have more multi-disciplinary teams at GP’s surgeries  going forward;

·         Certain administration tasks relating to patient appointments were part of a GP’s role due to patient confidentiality;

·         Healthwatch surveys indicated that patient satisfaction rates varied in Halton from poor performing to above average performance – information sharing between surgeries took place so that lessons could be learnt and practices were being encouraged to work together more; and

·         Healthwatch patient feedback received referred to some online systems being patchy – more specific details would be provided following the meeting.

RESOLVED:  That the presentation is received and noted.