Meeting documents

Cabinet is asked to note this report, and no response is required.  The recommendations within the report will be directed to the NHS England National Team (recommendations 1 and 8), the NHS England Thames Valley Area Team (recommendations 2, 3, 4 and 5), the two local Clinical Commissioning Groups (recommendations 3 and 7), and Healthwatch Bucks (recommendation 6).  Responses will be requested within 28 days, and recorded at the next Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee on 10^th February 2015.

The full report is in the separate supplement appendix pack

Cabinet received the report of the Health & Adult Social Care Select Committee GP Services Inquiry. 

The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services introduced the report in her role as the previous Chairman (the Chairman) of the Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee (HASC).  She explained that the Inquiry was into access to GPs and the clear findings were that there was an imbalance between capacity and demand for GP services. 

Members were invited to ask questions and the following points were raised:

·       Congratulations were expressed from both from a Member and Public Health England on the report. 

·       It was noted in paragraph 23 that extra demand had been generated because of a more proactive approach with NHS healthchecks uncovering conditions requiring follow up and increasing instances where longer appointment times were required because of complex and multiple conditions which had put pressure on GPs.  There was a shortage of younger GPs in General Practice because many of them preferred to specialise in hospitals.

·       The report was commended and a question was asked about where it needs to be received in order to get noted.  With reference to the Patient Feedback it was suggested that many patients can make appointments if they are very sick.  

·       The Chairman replied that many patients often want to see one Doctor on a certain day and at a certain time and that most of these requests can be met.  She added that each surgery had a different way of managing urgent appointments.  It was anticipated that the report would be circulated to the District Councils, Chief Executives, MPs and representatives from Health. 

·       The Chief Executive asked for clarification of recommendation 8 that NHS England acknowledge the concerns over the imbalance in local GP service capacity and demands and commit to additional funding for CCGs undertaking co-commissioning of GP services within the Area Teams so this additional CCG Activity is adequately resourced.       He asked if NHS England were being asked to do something or if they had already acknowledged the concerns.  The Chairman replied that they had already acknowledged the concerns.

·       In the executive summary of staff the Chief Executive asked if the capacity issues related to GPs and practise nurses or administrative staff and paramedics.  He suggested that the CCGs may want to look at the opportunities for training staff at Aylesbury College, Bucks New University and Amersham and Wycombe College.  

·       The Chairman replied that the general focus was the recruitment of medical staff and that not been any reports of problems being experienced with recruiting administrative staff. 

·       The Leader asked to what extent did GP surgery appointments accommodate commuters and can GPs work around them.  He noted that elderly patients who grew up with a system with a named GP worry about continuity.  In relation to Recommendation 4 referring to securing developer contributions, the Leader asked was it realistic to expect developers to fund GP surgeries.

·       It was suggested that a large development is built additional surgeries should be provided to take the pressure off existing practises. The Chairman replied that all the information relating to a patient should be recorded electronically and available for reference.  She added that some GP surgeries were staying open until 8pm and were opening early in the morning and others were open on Saturday mornings to try and meet the needs of commuters.

·       The Chairman thanked the Vice Chairman of the HASC and the Policy Officer for their contribution to the report.  

The Leader commended the piece of work and he suggested that it would be interested to watch A&E Services unfold.

Cabinet NOTED the report and no response was required.