This benchmark is different from others. The three directors of the Primary Care Foundation are steeped in out of hours service provision and commissioning so that we were able to develop a data extract that ensures that comparison of performance is based on a sample, typically of many thousands of cases. This allows us to compare performance and productivity for each hour of the day and to not just highlight the differences between services but explain some of the reasons why. Great care has been taken to ensure that costs are genuinely comparable, whether the provider is an independent organisation with an arms length contract or part of the PCT. We have also developed a questionnaire that for the first time allows comparison across services of how patients experience the care they received. The benchmark has rapidly been accepted as providing an authoritative comparison and has already been adopted by more than two thirds of PCTs in England.
The benchmark is much more than just a six monthly report. There is a strong emphasis on shared learning and development, with a series of workshops after each round of the benchmark, as well as local support at meetings or through conferences calls, as well as a ‘matching service’ to identify members who may be doing better on a particular measure and facilitate direct sharing of information and ideas.
It combines rigorous objectivity, with all services being measured in a directly comparable way, with a personal service that understands and takes account of the unique nature of each service.
In essence, it offers the currency for world class commissioning; providing information that enables meaningful comparisons and drives up the quality of care.
The Primary Care Foundation was established to support the development of best practice in primary and urgent care. The three Directors bring different skills and perspectives to understanding primary and urgent health care - for more details click below:
We also work with a number of associates
The benchmark of out of hours services has been published. To interact with the data and download reports CLICK HERE. To read the overall analysis of the findings CLICK HERE. The benchmark covers more than two thirds of the PCT areas in England and, for the first time, participants have agreed that the data should be published in a way that allows individual services to be identified. To read the press release CLICK HERE.
Rick Stern is to take up the role of Chief Executive of the NHS Alliance from 16 April 2012. He will still be working for half the week as a Director of the Primary Care Foundation
Our latest report ‘Breaking the mould without breaking the system: new ideas and resources for clinical commissioners on the journey towards integrated 24/7 urgent care’ is now available to download CLICK HERE. It is published in partnership with the NHS Alliance and will be formally launched at a session at the NHS Alliance annual conference in Manchester on 1st December 2011.
We are working with increasing numbers of practice to improve access and urgent care in general practice. If you would like to know more about our web based tool and customised reports based on a week of practice data and join over 300 practices across the UK,please email Rick Stern at rick.stern@primarycarefoundation.co.uk
For an independent view of our work with practices on access and urgent care CLICK HERE for the article in the HSJ on 24th November 2011
4th round of the out of hours benchmark. You should be receiving final data for validation soon and the first open set of openly available results will be available from this website in April 2012.