We are regularly in contact with key contacts from commissioners and providers to let people know what we need from them and to explain our progress with the next round of the benchmark (see Latest Update).
We also go to great lengths to check on the accuracy of the data we are collecting by feeding it back to members and asking them to validate our findings. It is important to us that whatever the results, there should be no surprises. The emphasis is on understanding the results and acting on them to improve local services.
We have established a User Group, with over 30 managers and clinicians from both commissioners and providers. We occasionally meet face to face but more regularly email members of the group to comment on any proposals for changing the benchmark. In July 2010 the User Group reviewed a major overhaul of the questions in the benchmark following the full report from the Care Quality Commission into Take Care Now.
Finally, we have re-established a national steering group to help steer the future development of the benchmark. This group includes leaders from commissioning agencies and out of hours providers, as well as from national organizations including the Care Quality Commission and the Department of Health. The first meeting of the new Steering Group took place in November 2010.
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.