My review of the 2019 Primary Care Network Service Specification- the good, the bad and the confusing. 

This is the live recorded review of the draft primary care network service specification.

To see the document in full use this link.

PCN Clinical Director resources playlist:

General Practitioner resources playlist:

Make sure you leave your own feedback via the survey here (see bottom of page), or send an email to england.networkscontract@nhs.net

Below is the draft version of my notes.

Welcome

My perspective on the primary care network service specs

Cover the good, the bad and the confusing. 

Check out my PCN resources and General practitioner playlist (in show notes)

Save you and your patients time with tech enhancing your primary care and learning

Why I am talking about this - am a GP also PCN director of NCE - 66k patients in a deprived area of Nottingham. 

Firstly the timing of the documents

Release of specs day before Xmas eve- while aware impacted by the election, purdah and process, it speaks to the perception that when PCN CDs work is irrelevant to NHS England. 

However, I commend Nikki Kanani’s engagement on SoMe and the will to gain feedback before making the spec official, 

as well as engagement events beforehand (twitter chat and webinars)

So emphasis that this is draft specifications and can be changed. So let us take a look…..

The document starts by talking about the investment being offered. While there is a significant increase in funding being offered, it is important to note the UK still invests less than most other western countries especially in the G8 at about $1000 less per person. 

It also mentions a 5-year contract. I would like to mention that it is not really a 5y contract but a 5y agreement of the funds. If it was a contract the terms would be clear from the start. Instead, we are having ongoing annual negotiations of the requirements - which is no different to what we have been exposed to in primary care. 

It then identifies seven asks or as they have been locally called the significant seven of which five are to start from April 2020 and another two from April 2021

• Structured Medication Reviews and Optimisation • 
• Enhanced Health in Care Homes (jointly with community services providers) • 
• Anticipatory Care (jointly with community services providers) • 
• Personalised Care; and • 
• Supporting Early Cancer Diagnosis

1.8 When will we have clarity on the process and use of the Network Dashboard?

1.11 Funding is not allocated directly for the delivery of the service specifications - let that sink in. 

1.12 Extra capacity from the new roles in 20/21 - much of this was promised to stabilise practices not ask them to do more and does not allow for the extra 30% investment which is not supported by the existing pots. 

1.16 funding for community service providers commented - limited