Exclusive GP practices in Kent could receive additional support from the ICB thanks to an alert system being used to report pressures in general practice.
LMCs have been leading the development of the General Practice Alert State (GPAS) with the aim of escalating ‘black status’ reports to NHS leaders.
This would be equivalent to OPEL level 4 in hospitals – a situation when pressure means organisations are unable to deliver comprehensive care and patient safety may be compromised.
Through GPAS, practices can declare increasing pressures weekly using ‘green’, ‘amber’, ‘red’ or ‘black’ status.
Last year, GPs told Pulse there were concerns around the new alert system, which they said seemed to be of ‘very little value’.
Now Pulse has learnt that Kent and Medway ICB is expected to run a trial ‘in the near future’ with the LMC, to support practices using the system and declaring any state beyond ‘green’.
Kent LMC medical director Dr Andy Parkin told Pulse that the LMC is ‘in early discussions with the ICB about what form the support may be able to take’.
The LMC said is working the ICB ‘to explore the support that can be offered to practices’, including additional resources, ‘changes to operations’ with a practice or the wider healthcare system and assistance with communications.
‘We would welcome any ideas from practices as to the help or support that could be offered to a practice when challenged by increased operational pressures and so declaring, a state of amber, red or black,’ the LMC added.
A spokesperson for Kent and Medway ICB told Pulse: ‘We are exploring ways of working together with GP practices, through an alert system, which will enable safe, high-quality patient care to continue during additional periods of pressure.
‘A trial is expected to run in the near future and this will help us and Kent LMC finalise plans.’
The GPAS system was pioneered in Devon, where the LMC has been collecting data since 2020. At least 40 LMCs led by Devon LMC are currently collecting GPAS data from their practices.
Devon LMC agreed a pilot with the ICS to assess how to respond when practices are under ‘severe’, ‘extreme’ or ‘intolerable’ pressure.
Measures considered in Devon included suspension of routine appointments and reviews, a shift to telephone triage, remote consultations for most primary care, suspension of non-core work and QOF and closure of some practices with care delivered through additional capacity at shared hubs.
In July, Pulse revealed exclusively that NHS England is working towards incorporating general practice in the ‘OPEL’ system pressures framework.
And the RCGP called for a patient safety alert system to be introduced in general practice, with practices supported with overflow hubs and additional locums.
Perhaps submiting the reports could be a job for the PPGs.
Practice staff only have time to submit the responses during ‘green’ periods!