GPs asked to identify patients with ‘most complex needs’ ahead of winter
GPs in Wales have been asked to identify patients with ‘the most complex needs’ as part of winter preparedness plans.
The Welsh Government said that ahead of winter the NHS should focus on supporting ‘the 0.5 % of people who are most at risk of an emergency admission to hospital’.
It announced it is investing £30m ‘so that more people can receive care at home, helping them leave hospital sooner’ but no new funding was announced specifically for general practice as part of this plan.
Welsh health secretary Jeremy Miles said that GPs have been asked to identify the 0.5% of their patients ‘with the most complex needs, who are most likely to otherwise find themselves in hospital’ and that health boards have been asked to commission specific services for that population.
He said: ‘Health boards have all been directed to commission those services from GPs for this coming winter.
‘That will enable GPs to be more proactive in the support they provide to that critical cohort, which otherwise runs a serious risk of being in the emergency department.’
Mr Miles said the plan was taking into account ‘higher demand’ for GP services for acute respiratory illnesses, an increase in emergency department admissions due to respiratory problems, and a subsequent peak in emergency hospital admissions.
He added: ‘One of the challenges, obviously, is how we support GPs in order to provide them with that extra time to do that work that we’re asking them to do in relation to those patients with the greatest need.
‘One of the ways in which we’re providing that support is through the development of urgent care centres, which enables hospitals to direct people to the right care.’
He said that 99% of community pharmacies can now test and treat sore throats ‘for free’, in a bid to ‘ease pressure on GPs’.
And ‘respiratory response plans’ have been developed by health boards, targeted towards people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are at higher risk of needing an emergency hospital admission.
He added: ‘Health boards will provide individuals at highest risk with a standardised care bundle to support their management throughout the winter period.
‘And the sore throat test and treat service has been available at 99% of community pharmacies since June. This means that people can now get free advice and treatment without the need for a GP appointment.’
Last month BMA Cymru Wales called on the next Welsh Government to develop a GP-specific workforce strategy to fix GP unemployment.
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