Creating and supporting Primary Care to develop integrated care models and networks across a geography.
The challenge
SCW was commissioned to work with groups of practices to explore the opportunities of collaborative working in networks. These networks provide care are across geographies to identify and deliver new models of care focussed on the needs of their population.
Building on our experience of working with Primary Care to explore the opportunities of at-scale working, we’re able to support emerging Primary Care Networks, consider the benefits and challenges to network working, and develop codes of conduct to sit alongside the network as outlined in the primary health network agreements.
What we delivered
We facilitated the development of Primary Care Networks based upon local circumstances and the way the practices want to work. The developed agreements and associated network schedules will be as unique to the Network as the member practices and population are. Our approach follows a four-stage process.
- Workshop One – Vision: Understanding what practices want to do and how they want to do it
- Workshop Two – Form: facilitated workshop, using numerous testing scenarios to reach agreement on the best way forward
- Workshop Three – Governance: In our experience, as part of the approach to governance practices will need to develop a code of conduct for the Member Practices to sit alongside their Primary Care Network agreement
- Launch event: focused on securing a commitment from everyone involved to the development of a network.
The outcome
- Supported eight practices in developing their Primary Care Network and how they collaborate across the system as a standalone network.
- Worked with five practices in their aim to form a network of just over 33,000 patients and helping them manage approaches by other Practices in the city who wish to join them. We are exploring with them how and why this may/may not work.
- Supporting a GP federation that wants to underpin and offer support to the five Primary Care Networks by developing a service prospectus, while also undertaking a refresh of their governance structures to reflect the introduction of Primary Care Networks. This includes developing a code of conduct around representation and engagement at the integrated care system.
- Supporting a merger of four practices that then also want to form a Primary Care Network of 30,000 patients. This requires two separate workstreams, one for the merger and one to develop the network.
- We are also supporting a two-practice merger in a similar format, by implementing a merger and network development.
“Facilitator was knowledgeable and worked well with us”
“The facilitation was a helpful process to give new ideas and build on those already discussed and identified within the practice.”
“The facilitation was extremely helpful and gave me ideas of alternative working plans for the future of the practice.”
Key Contacts
Alison Westmacott
Director of Primary Care
E-MAIL:
