Agenda item

Rebecca Kingsnorth and Imogen Bloor, Islington CCG, was present at the meeting and were accompanied by Michael Clowes and Dr.John McGrath, representatives of the Islington GP Federation.

During consideration of evidence the following main points were made –

·         Each of the 32 GP practices are facing challenges of growing demand, a struggling workforce, evolving care needs and ageing premises

·         The 32 GP practices are small businesses under contract to the NHS, but with significant variances – these include staff loyalty, resilience, efficiency, modernity, continuity, capability, scale, quality, patients, ambition, ethos, culture and care

·         Islington GP Federation is a private limited company owned by all Islington GP’s and was formed in January 2017

·         The Islington GP Federation operates exclusively under NHS contracts, and related contracts such as Health Education England

·         The Islington GP Federation will employ approx. 200 staff this month

·         Islington GP Federation was set up to ensure Islington registered patients have free and equitable service, access to good, safe, value for money primary care, and to maintain financial viability of the federation, in order to achieve its primary goal

·         Islington GP Federation builds GP scale capability and culture, enables GP resilience in Islington, and delivers new models of care

·         At borough level there is integrated access e.g.i Hubs, GP retention schemes, variability reduction e.g. diabetes, finance, IG,QI, analytics resource and access to all patient records for direct care

·         There are locality CHINS – locality-based preventative MDT’s, multi-agency partnerships, technology-driven risk stratification, health and care social prescribing, and strong governance and leadership

·         All initiatives are founded on a bottom up design, QI methodologies, and good enough technology

·         GP networks and neighbourhoods – there are 8 Network ambassadors, 8 practice based pharmacists, shared estate and workforce, 8 GP mentors, 8 MOT chronic groups, and patient and public participation

·         GP practices require IG support, back office support, technology and tools, practice rescue and turnaround, clinical and administrative training, and GP retention initiatives

·         Islington GP Federation presents a unified voice, promotes trust, a willingness to try, dependability, support and hope

·         The Islington GP Federation was the NHS70 Parliamentary Award winner for Healthier Communities for showing a really proactive approach to assessing the health needs of the area they serve, including some of the hardest to reach communities, and working together with partners to put in place targeted programmes, which make a real difference to peoples’ health and well-being

·         It was noted that there is a national shortage of flu vaccine and that the Islington GP Federation had made a successful bid for Home Based vaccinations, and this will enable Whittington Health and District Nurses to do other checks, such as blood pressure checks at the same time

·         It was noted that the Islington GP Federation felt that Islington is well placed to meet future challenges, and the iHUB and walk in centre offers improved the service to residents

·         It was noted that the Federation was a limited company but funded through contracts, the principal ones being ENT, Gynaecology, and i HUBS

·         The GP Federation seeks to co-ordinate the funding and best use of resources to support local GP’s and to establish and to provide models of care, including preventative care, with partners

·         The GP Federation stated that the risk is that it tries to do too many things and they were looking for sustainability, In addition, comparative data was being looked at in relation to appointments and how they are recorded and GP practices can bid for funding on an evidence based basis

The Chair thanked Mike Clowes, Dr. John McGrath, Imogen Bloor and Rebecca Kingsnorth for attending the meeting