Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 24
24
Deferred
Paragraph: 92
Routine measurement of continuity of care is essential for improvement efforts and targeted support.
Conclusion
Unless continuity of care is routinely measured GP practices and Primary Care Networks will be unable to identify where to focus improvement efforts. NHS England will also be unable to effectively target support without establishing a baseline for the provision of continuity of care. Measuring the proportion of appointments delivered by a named GP is simple and easily understood and could potentially allow for some international comparisons to be made. While this would introduce an additional reporting requirement on GPs, we believe this is proportionate to the importance of continuity of care and would be accounted for by implementing our other recommendations on the GP workload. This could initially be rolled out at primary care network level to allow support and then be phased into individual practices by 2024.
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts but deflects the recommendation, discussing existing funding mechanisms like the Carr-Hill formula, which it states will not be changed until the end of 2023/24, instead of addressing the routine measurement of continuity of care.
Paragraph Reference:
92
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
Partially Accept. The Department partially accepts this recommendation. GP practices receive funding from a range of sources, including those distributed according to the Carr-Hill Formula and funding delivered to Primary Care Networks. NHS England keeps funding mechanisms such as the Carr-Hill formula under review to ensure they remain appropriately weighted for different components, including deprivation. As agreed with the British Medical Association in 2019, the Carr-Hill formula will not be changed for the duration of the five-year contract framework. The agreed investment envelope is fixed, providing funding clarity and certainty to practices until the end of 2023/24.