Case study - out-of-hours GP services
A partnership approach to primary health care
The challenge
As a result of the introduction of the new GP healthcare services contract, two Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), based in and around Southend-on-Sea, Essex, needed to form a partnership with a third-party provider to supply all their out-of-hours GP services. These services had to be seamless and provide comprehensive medical service to their patients.
The solution
Following extensive discussion and negotiation, an innovative and unique solution was created. Care UK, in partnership with the local Essex Ambulance Trust, was contracted to supply out-of-hours healthcare services from January 2005. This is the first time a commercial organisation has joined forces with an NHS ambulance trust to provide such a medical service. The individual strengths of each organisation fit perfectly to create an extremely comprehensive and flexible service offering.
Essex Ambulance Trust brings operational control and emergency response with its fleet of vehicles, communication infrastructure and emergency service expertise. Care UK brings its extensive GP network, recruitment skills and experience of delivering healthcare services and social care solutions.
The main primary care centre, operated by Care UK, will be based next to the A&E department in the local trust hospital, with others strategically located around the area.
How the service will work
The combined new medical service offers all patients a single point of access out-of-hours and has been developed to ensure efficient care pathways. All calls will be taken by Essex Ambulance Trust and quick-sorted into callers who require an ambulance and those who need primary healthcare. The primary care calls will receive teleconsultation by a nurse, with four possible outcomes:
- The patient is not in need of care and is asked to wait until their surgery reopens
- The patient is advised to self-treat
- The patient needs to be seen by a GP – an appointment at the PCC is made
- The patient requires a home visit – the appropriate clinician is sent.
This part of the service utilises proven technology based on an integrated software/hardware platform, developed for use by the NHS and third-party providers. A multi-disciplinary range of clinicians are used within the primary healthcare service including:
- The lead clinician, who acts as support for the contact centre, teleconsultation and the home visit teams; and who liaises with other agencies
- Primary care clinicians who will see patients within a normal surgery type environment.
These will typically include:
- General practitioners and nurse practitioners
- Nurse triage: locally based, suitably qualified, experienced nurses carrying out telephone consultations using decision support software
- Emergency care practitioners who are highly skilled and motivated career clinicians.
Care UK recognises the advantages of working with a partner organisation to provide innovative care solutions and takes a long-term view of such a relationship. We ensure that we comply with all NHS requirements and will be an integral part of the governance strategy in each organisation.
For more information
If you would like to know about Care UK's out-of-hours GP services please contact us.
