NHS Kent and Medway launched its new five-year primary care strategy to professionals last week which focuses on access, proactive care and prevention.
Following a large engagement exercise last year, the strategy has been developed to meet the changing demands and landscape of primary care. It recognises change is needed to cope with population growth, demand outstripping supply, disease prevalence, an aging population as well as the public’s preference for rapid access.
The strategy outlines the five-year vision.
- People using primary care will experience a consistent service.
- Multidisciplinary teams will have the time and space to serve patients well, responding to what matters most to them.
- Primary care services will be local, well organised and comprehensive.
- People will be able to access care when they need it through face-to-face or online consultations, with easy access to self-care advice.
- Primary care workforce will have access to training and development, with the emphasis on a healthy, positive primary care workforce.
- Patients with a long-term condition will have an individual care plan based on their health needs.
Sukh Singh, Director of Primary and Community Care at NHS Kent and Medway, said “The traditional way of delivering services won’t see us into the future so we have worked with partners and patients to understand how we can improve all primary care services in a way that supports people to access the right care in the right place at the right time.
“In five years’ time, we would expect people to be accessing multi-disciplinary teams who can treat and advise them according to their need in their local neighbourhoods. We will be focusing on improving access through digital front doors, increasing the roll out of the NHS App and other digital appointment systems so people can book appointments when convenient to them, 24 hours a day.
“For those who would prefer not to use digital channels, we have already improved systems to make sure there is equity of access through all methods of contact such as telephone lines in general practice to allow more calls to be taken. We are moving to a position where everyone will be triaged, a bit like when you arrive at a hospital. We are keen to make sure our pathways allow people to be seen by the right person for their condition.
“Community pharmacy is also key to helping treat patients with a wider range of clinical services.”
The strategy looks at the broader primary care workforce, the estates across Kent and Medway and how digital can all be improved to provide a better service. There are also plans to look at how primary care can support prevention and help their patients keep well, and at how schemes like Pharmacy First can benefit people and how dental and optometry is provided in the future.
The first areas of focus for these proactive plans are Ashford, Ebbsfleet, Maidstone, Medway, Swale and Thanet. These areas have the greatest need based on a combination of population growth from housing developments but also deprivation, workforce issues and patient access challenges.