Updates regarding:
· The future of Primary Care within Epsom & Ewell Primary Care Network
Speaker: Rachel Graville – Director of Operations Epsom Primary Care Network, Epsom Primary Care Network
Speaker: Helen Harwood – Operations Manager, GP Health Partners Limited
Minutes:
The Chair welcomed the visitors and invited Rachel Graville (RG) to take the floor.
RG noted that Epsom Primary Care (EPC) have been working collaboratively and are currently in year four of a five-year contract. She discussed new developments, including bringing the GPs together to work more collaboratively. A series of presentations was given showing demographics of the area and how 60,000 patients are served by 7 GP practices and the Clinical Pharmacists inside each practice. RG presented a series of slides providing information on the “extra visits” EPC have undertaken. RG updated the panel on the news that a new post of Menopause Specialist has been created.
The Chair welcomed Helen Harwood (HH) to take the floor. Operations Manager for GP Health Partners Ltd (GPHP Ltd)
HH provided an explanation on the “Pro-Active Care – Community Focused” slide presentation. HH explained GPHP Ltd are working on a multitude of projects, including a Digital Library to help with signposting for their services. HH confirmed GPHP Ltd will launch the “Court Ward Project” on the 19 July 2022. Dr Clare Fuller – Chief Executive of Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care System – has been asked to lead on a wide-ranging national stocktake on how systems work with primary care and others to improve the integration of patient care. “Transforming our ICS (Integrated Care Systems) through the “Critical Five” is how primary care can be best supported within the emergent integrated care system (ICS) to meet the health needs of people in their local areas”.
HH went on to talk about GP Health Partners Limited (GPHP Ltd), and explained it is a company that is owned by 18 GP Practices in the Epsom locality. They are a “Not for Profit” organisation and look after 175,000 patients within the area. The funding for this current arrangement ends on 30 September 2022.
HH explained that Core Services have been extended to cover the extra time from 6.30 to 9.30pm, seven days a week at the Derby Medical Centre.
The Chair opened the floor for questions.
A Councillor asked what information is available on Court Ward as it shows up as an area of high need on the Surrey County Council (SCC) index of higher need. RG explained that all the feedback from Court Ward has not yet been received.
The Councillor enquired about the Epsom and Ewell Veterans Hub. They noted that it is funded by Surrey County Council, but the funding is due to end this summer. The Councillor asked if GPHP Ltd could look at supporting this project. RG said that R&BBC would be keen to get involved. HH agreed to share her presentation materials and veteran-specific literature with the Councillor. RG said that R&BBC are having a Community Day in September 2022 and that the veterans might be encouraged to come. A Councillor said that Communication is key and suggested that the local Residents Associations might be able to do promotion through their quarterly magazines. A Councillor suggested that more also ought to be done in the Reigate and Banstead Borough Veterans Hub.
A Councillor stated that residents in the North of the Reigate and Banstead Borough are struggling to get hospital appointments. The Councillor enquired as to why residents are having difficulty in getting appointments by phone, mentioning that turning up without an appointment is not an option for them. HH explained that staff are dealing with immense workloads. She highlighted the importance of educating people to only request appointments when the matter is of a serious nature. This is causing an increased demand resulting in a 5 week wait for an appointment. HH explained that there are other avenues outside of seeing a GP – people can get advice from Paramedics and Pharmacists.