Working together to improve out of hours care
through a national benchmark
Progress Report on the 3rd and 4th Rounds of the National Out Of Hours Benchmark
Reports on round 3 now scheduled for mid-July; round 4 still due to report by the end of October 2010
The third benchmark
Our original plan back in March 2010 was to provide a report on the third benchmark, covering the period over Christmas & New Year, by end of May 2010. For a number of reasons this has taken longer than we had hoped, both to receive data extracts and to validate them. As always, our top priority is to ensure the quality of the benchmarking service, making sure that we have fully understood your data and are drawing the right conclusions before making national comparisons, especially at a time when we are introducing a lot of new members.
So our revised timetable for Round 3 is:
4th June - all services to receive a first analysis of your data extract for validation (please note Henry is away from 5th – 18th June and will deal with any queries when he gets back)
18th June - all services to have commented on the analysis, raising any queries or concerns
End of June – data frozen for all services across the Country so that all services can be compared
Mid July – all commissioners and providers to receive reports on round 3
Again, we apologise for the delay, but the strength and credibility of the benchmark relies on the careful and detailed analysis and validation of your data. The out of hours benchmark, unlike any other service of its kind, remains a personalised service reflecting the differences and variations across the Country. If you have any immediate questions, please contact tom.tubbs@primarycarefoundation.co.uk 07792 371998 or henry.clay@primarycarefoundation.co.uk or on 07775 696360.
The fourth benchmark
Our partners, CFEP UK Surveys, have now contacted all of you to prepare for the patient survey within the fourth round of the benchmark. Surveys are now being sent to patients to ask them about their view of the service based on performance for May and June within 10 days of a patient attending.
A revised web-based questionnaire for both commissioners and providers, updated and improved to reflect recent changes including the interim recommendations of the Care Quality Commission Review into Take Care Now, will be available for completion towards the end of July 2010. A further email will be sent to with exact details of the different stages and timetable for the fourth round, although our aim remains to report by the end of October and run workshops in November on what will be the first round where the headline results are nationally available.
And finally …developing and improving the benchmark
We have now agreed that it would be helpful to develop a National Steering Group for the Benchmark to look at some of the big decisions for the future development of the service. We will be inviting leaders from PCTs, Providers Services, the Department of Health and the Care Quality Commission to be part of this group that will meet once or twice a year. This group will exist alongside the User Group, which provides invaluable help on changes to the benchmark, and is open to all commissioners and providers involved with the benchmark – we currently have 24 members, but if you would like to be involved, please get in touch with Rick on 07709 746771 (or email below).
We are also always looking for good examples to share of how you are using the benchmark to identify changes you need to make and how you have succeeded in driving improvements in your local out of hours service. If you do have good example that you are willing to share with others, please call Rick on 07709 746771 – we are always happy to promote success stories of how you are improving care!
And as always, if we need to update your contact details in any way (so take your name off or ensure we add someone else on), please email by return.
With best wishes
Rick Stern Henry Clay
Primary Care Foundation Primary Care Foundation
rick.stern@primarycarefoundation.co.uk henry.clay@primarycarefoundation.co.uk
07709 746771 07775696360
Reports on round 3 now scheduled for mid-July; round 4 still due to report by the end of October 2010
The third benchmark
Our original plan back in March 2010 was to provide a report on the third benchmark, covering the period over Christmas & New Year, by end of May 2010. For a number of reasons this has taken longer than we had hoped, both to receive data extracts and to validate them. As always, our top priority is to ensure the quality of the benchmarking service, making sure that we have fully understood your data and are drawing the right conclusions before making national comparisons, especially at a time when we are introducing a lot of new members.
So our revised timetable for Round 3 is:
4th June - all services to receive a first analysis of your data extract for validation (please note Henry is away from 5th – 18th June and will deal with any queries when he gets back)
18th June - all services to have commented on the analysis, raising any queries or concerns
End of June – data frozen for all services across the Country so that all services can be compared
Mid July – all commissioners and providers to receive reports on round 3
Again, we apologise for the delay, but the strength and credibility of the benchmark relies on the careful and detailed analysis and validation of your data. The out of hours benchmark, unlike any other service of its kind, remains a personalised service reflecting the differences and variations across the Country. If you have any immediate questions, please contact tom.tubbs@primarycarefoundation.co.uk 07792 371998 or henry.clay@primarycarefoundation.co.uk or on 07775 696360.
The fourth benchmark
Our partners, CFEP UK Surveys, have now contacted all of you to prepare for the patient survey within the fourth round of the benchmark. Surveys are now being sent to patients to ask them about their view of the service based on performance for May and June within 10 days of a patient attending.
A revised web-based questionnaire for both commissioners and providers, updated and improved to reflect recent changes including the interim recommendations of the Care Quality Commission Review into Take Care Now, will be available for completion towards the end of July 2010. A further email will be sent to with exact details of the different stages and timetable for the fourth round, although our aim remains to report by the end of October and run workshops in November on what will be the first round where the headline results are nationally available.
And finally …developing and improving the benchmark
We have now agreed that it would be helpful to develop a National Steering Group for the Benchmark to look at some of the big decisions for the future development of the service. We will be inviting leaders from PCTs, Providers Services, the Department of Health and the Care Quality Commission to be part of this group that will meet once or twice a year. This group will exist alongside the User Group, which provides invaluable help on changes to the benchmark, and is open to all commissioners and providers involved with the benchmark – we currently have 24 members, but if you would like to be involved, please get in touch with Rick on 07709 746771 (or email below).
We are also always looking for good examples to share of how you are using the benchmark to identify changes you need to make and how you have succeeded in driving improvements in your local out of hours service. If you do have good example that you are willing to share with others, please call Rick on 07709 746771 – we are always happy to promote success stories of how you are improving care!
And as always, if we need to update your contact details in any way (so take your name off or ensure we add someone else on), please email by return.
With best wishes
Rick Stern Henry Clay
Primary Care Foundation Primary Care Foundation
rick.stern@primarycarefoundation.co.uk henry.clay@primarycarefoundation.co.uk
07709 746771 07775696360