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The General Practice Podcast

Ben Gowland explores new ways of working in general practice. He talks to those making changes happen, gets underneath what they did, how they managed to do it, and the challenges they faced along the way.
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Now displaying: Category: healthcare
Mar 20, 2023

In this week's episode, Ben is joined by guest, Dr Richard Wood, co-CEO of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire LMC. Richard discusses his day-to-day role, directing the teams which execute the LMC’s agenda. He shares his thoughts behind the Integrated Care System and what the move means for General Practice and also the thinking behind the GP Leadership groups. Richard took over as co-CEO in 2018, on the podcast he explains what he felt was important at the time, what route he went down and how the groups look today. Finally, Richard shares the lessons he has learnt along the way and any advice he has for others on the same journey.

 

Introduction (0:09)

 

Richard Woods day to day role (0:25)

 

Place based Leadership routes within an Integrated Care System... (0:45)

 

The thinking behind needing GP Leadership groups (2:09)

 

LMC or system request? (3:05)

 

Is there a potential for LMC to grow? (4:21)

 

What locations are you connected with currently? (5:59)

 

Tell us about the process you went through… (7:32)

 

Any surprises from the principles? (9:36)

 

What route did you go down? (10:10)

 

How to prevent the smaller groups from being isolated? (11:29)

 

PCN CD’s… (12:41)

 

How does funding work? (13:51)

 

What is involved in the meetings? (16:15)

 

What does success look like within the groups? (18:02)

 

How do the groups work together to have an influence? (19:10)

 

Dr Woods' advice.. (20:10)

 

Final words.. (21:16)

 

For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.

Mar 13, 2023

Ben is joined once again by NHS pensions expert, Paul Gordon. Paul returns to the podcast to discuss new changes to the NHS pension scheme. Ben and Paul last spoke in December 2022 prior to the consultation taking place. The consultation completed at the end of January this year and as of the 7th March feedback has been shared. Paul communicates the outcome from the consultation and explains the proposed changes in relation to the flexibilities around retirement, tax charges and the impact of the changes on staff.  

 

Introduction (0:09)

 

Consultation outcome.. (0:39)

 

Introducing new flexibilities to retirement.. (1:36)

 

How does this make things easier? (2:54)

 

Pensions and a full salary income.. (3:32)

 

Tax implications.. (4:56)

 

Lifetime allowance.. (8:02)

 

Total rewards statement.. (10:51)

 

How to calculate the best outcome for you? (13:11)

 

Changes to 24 hour retirement.. (16:39)

 

Risks in single handed practices and small practices.. (19:20)

 

Effects of inflation.. (22:06)

 

Widening the access to pension scheme (25:32)

 

When will the changes be applied? (27:41)

 

Accessing your Total Rewards Statement

 

To contact Paul directly: Paul.gordon@atomos.co.uk

 

For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.

Mar 6, 2023

Dr George Gavriel, who is partner at the Swan Practice and Clinical Director of the Swan PCN, & Emma Vye who is Operations Manager at both Swan Practice and Swan PCN are guests on the podcast this week. Their practice is a single practice PCN and they join Ben to discuss their journey of moving into being stand alone. Ben gets an understanding of how the single practice and PCN works in terms of their resources, clinical delivery and management team. They discuss the ‘Gold card’ approach for clients who can be seen on the same day through a ‘same day service’ system. They reflect on how it has benefited them being an independent PCN and why others may or may not look into doing the same.

 

Introduction (0:09)

 

Where they’re located.. (0:25)

 

Single Practice PCN (0:41)

 

What was the rationale for you to work alone? (1:14)

 

Resistance from commissioners.. (2.27)

 

Benefits of being a single Practice & PCN? (3:06)

 

The shift into being a single Practice, Emma's perspective (4:21)

 

How does it work? (4:44)

 

How many sites do you have? (6:07)

 

Issues of allocating staff.. (7:26)

 

The fuller report.. (7:57)

 

Challenges of setting up the same day service? (9:38)

 

Staffing of the same day service.. (11:54)

 

Deploying ARS staff into the same day service.. (13:37)

 

Gold card.. (13:58)

 

Impact of the PCN & Practice (15:04)

 

Reflections of being a single Practice PCN.. (16:51)

 

Value of being independent? (19:24)

 

Contact details.. (22:05)

 

Contact George directly on george.gavriel@nhs.net.

 

For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.

Feb 27, 2023

This week, Ben is joined by Jo Wadey, Practice Business Manager at St Lawrence Surgery and Dr David Stokes, a GP partner at the same surgery and Clinical Director for Central Worthing PCN. They discuss their new triage system which has recently been put into effect at the surgery. They talk through how the new system has been implemented and how it has impacted the surgery, the GPs and the patients. Jo and David share their results and what advice they have for other surgeries thinking of following the same triage system.  

 

Introduction (0:09)

 

How things were before the new ‘triage’ system (1:14)

 

What’s the first point of contact for the patients? (3:27)

 

Is this done in real time? (4:42)

 

Training of the Patient Services Team (5:10)

 

The journey of the new triage system.. (6:25)

 

How was implementing this change? (9:26)

 

How did you deal with the changes? (14:02)

 

What results have you seen so far? (16:15)

 

Impacts on GP workload? (18:52)

 

ARS staff… (20:38)

 

Any advice? (21:35)

 

To contact Jo, please use jowadey@nhs.net

 

For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.

Feb 20, 2023

This week, we revisit the podcast published back on 26th June 2017, we return to Helen Parker and her fascinating insights into general practice half way round the world. Helen has, for the past four years, worked in New Zealand for the Pinnacle network of GP practices and this is the second part of an interview that we began in Episode 64. In this part Helen goes into more detail about the structured model of general practice they are introducing in New Zealand; how it is being implemented and what it means for patient and staff satisfaction.

 

Introduction (0.09)

 

Re-engineering the inside of general practice – the Healthcare Home model (0.45)

 

Planning a model of best general practice (2.31)

 

Getting sign-up to the model (4.05)

 

Strengthening and preserving general practice (5.56)

 

Central resources from working at scale (6.55)

 

The new patient information system and the patient portal (7.29)

 

The call centre (8.26)

 

Getting involved in the business of the practices (9.58)

 

The “lean” programme for ensuring high quality general practice (10.46)

 

Supporting the implementation of the model into general practice (11.41)

 

Funding the support (13.17)

 

Financial incentives/disincentives (13.51)

 

Ensuring the changes happen – leadership (15.03)

 

The change team (16.12)

 

The outcomes of introducing the new model on patients and staff (16.55)

 

The wider impact (18.12)

 

The clarity of the process – lessons for the UK (19.36)

 

Further information can be found here.

 

For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.

 

Feb 13, 2023

We revisit the podcast published back on 29th September 2019, this was the second conversation between Ben and Paul Deffley, Hove GP and clinical director of Practice Unbound; a not-for-profit organisation devoted to “helping general practice work smarter”. In this episode Paul uses the example of a pathology delegation pilot to look at how practices can effectively work together across networks, how they can better manage change and, working at scale, deliver network solutions to collective problems.

 

Introduction (0.09)

 

Paul outlines his background and his positive view of PCNs (0.43)

 

An example of working together – a pilot for pathology delegation (2.50)

 

Tests not needing a clinical context (4.56)

 

Understanding the pathology activity – what’s safe to delegate (6.03)

 

Clinical variation in pathology requests – and reducing requesting patterns (7.15)

 

Managing the delegated requests – a non-clinical team approach (8.33)

 

Group consultations? Testing different ways of managing patients (9.12)

 

Overcoming the concerns about risk (9.43)

 

Understanding the fears (10.55)

 

Grouping routine tests (11.13)

 

Auditing the administrators (12.50)

 

The impact on GP workload – 90% of routine bloods are handled by the admin team (13.23)

 

Working smarter (14.00)

 

Clinical variation down (14.57)

 

Is this a legitimate use of PCN time and energy? (15.28)

 

PCNs looking at individual GP practice (16.44)

 

Establishing and maintaining trust (18.32)

 

The impact of networks on shared problems (19.43)

 

Making the most of development funding (20.43)

 

An end-to-end flow exercise (22.45)

 

Positive relationships (23.29)

 

Further information (24.15)

 

Practice Unbound’s web address can be found here.

 

And Paul can be emailed directly at Pauldeffley@nhs.net

 

For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.

 

Feb 6, 2023

This week we revisit a previous podcast from 11th November 2019, Rachel Morris has “starred” in two of our most popular podcasts and through her work on GP resilience, she was inspired to set up her own “You Are Not A Frog” podcast. In a recent edition of that podcast, she interviewed our own Ben Gowland to discuss ways in which general practice can effectively introduce change, particularly against a background of resistance.

 

Introduction (0.09)

 

Ben explains how his career progressed to setting up Ockham Healthcare (0.44)

 

How Ockham Healthcare developed its unique offering (1.54)

 

Working with at-scale general practice – a means to an end (2.39)

 

The goals for working at scale (3.29)

 

Making a difference – Time for Care (4.21)

 

Change is difficult so how do we approach it? (6.53)

 

Introducing pharmacists – a practical example (7.24)

 

Resistance to change – a systematic approach (9.07)

 

The problem is obvious why we need to change? Isn’t it? (11.17)

 

The system and what you can control (12.15)

 

Overcoming the emotional response (13.20)

 

Picking the changes you pursue – small or large (14.26)

 

Ockham Healthcare’s role in supporting joint working (16.31)

 

Influencing without hierarchical “power” – a practice’s relationship with the PCN (17.49)

 

What’s the one big thing a PCN should be doing? (19.35)

 

Expect resistance – dealing with your “No Nos” (20.54)

 

Becoming positive about change (22.09)

 

Contacting Ben (23.20)

 

For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.

 

The You Are Not a Frog podcast is available in a number of places including here.

Jan 30, 2023

In this month’s Practice Index sponsored panel episode, Ben is joined by panel regular Robyn Clark & also Hussain Gandhi. They discuss the new announcement made by the labour party in regard to General Practice and making the service salaried to the NHS. Robyn and Gandhi express their thoughts with reference to the announcement and the impact it may have on the public, GPs and GP Surgeries. Ben explores if this change could happen under a Labour government and how it would look for GPs. 

 

Introduction (0.09)

 

New announcements made by labour (0.44)

 

Labour’s Wes Streeting's words… (1.28)

 

Gandhi's thoughts.. (2.22)

 

Frustrations for politicians unable to control GP Practices (3.38)

 

Robyn’s thoughts.. (5.10)

 

Why now? (6.13)

 

Cross-party commitment to the Enquiry report (8.55)

 

Where do we move forward from here? (9.56)

 

Does this introduce bureaucracy? (13.08)

 

Reflection of the National Leadership of General Practice (14.00)

 

Can we do more to support National Leaders of General Practice? (16.08)

 

Could this change happen if Labour got in? (18.44)

 

What would it look like…? (20.12)

 

Final thoughts..? (20.59)

 

For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.

Jan 23, 2023

In this week's episode, Ben is joined by three guests, Veena Aggarwal, Aarti Bansal & Alastair Jackson. Together they discuss the Greener Practice Community, healthcare professionals working together to inspire sustainable primary care. Aarti explains the Greener Practice Network and the ‘one-stop hub’ website and how like-minded individuals can join. The podcast also focuses on asthma, particularly in relation to inhalers and the toolkit on offer to help reduce the environmental impacts of inhalers. 

 

Introduction (0.08)

 

How Aarti Bansal got into sustainability.. (0.28)

 

How Alastair Jackson got into sustainability.. (1.05)

 

How Veena Aggarwal got into sustainability.. (1.54)

 

Greener Practice Network & what’s involved (2.34)

 

The focus on inhalers in relation to sustainability (5.07)

 

Asthma toolkit (6.40)

 

The use of the Asthma toolkit.. (8.03)

 

Where to find the toolkit  (8.53)

 

The implementation of the toolkit.. (9.29)

 

Training & protocols for Asthma clinics (11.04)

 

Obstacles to overcome when implementing the toolkit? (13.32)

 

What barriers are in the way of the implementation? (15.32)

 

What do you need to drive the change? (18.33)

 

Other advice (21.34)

 

Greener Practice website information (24.42) 

 

To visit the Greener Practice Website, use this link.

 

To read the ‘Better and Greener Asthma Care’ short blog, please click here. 

 

The link to the PCN Green Page (including respiratory resources, use this link.

 

For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.

Jan 16, 2023

 

Ben welcomes both Neil Macey and Christy Paxman to his podcast this week to discuss Centralised High-Risk Drug Monitoring. Neil has been a guest on the podcast before when he discussed a centralised PCN, and he is back to discuss further innovations. In today's episode, Neil and Christy explain how they came up with the plan of Care Coordinators within the Pharmacy Teams and rolling out Centralised High-Risk Drug Monitoring. 

 

Introduction (0.09)

 

Recap of Suffolks PCNs (0.30)

 

Christy Paxman’s role (1.18)

 

Care Coordinators in Pharmacy teams & Centralised High-Risk Drug Monitoring (1.36)

 

The plan… (2.46)

 

The results of your Centralised model (4.10)

 

Discussions around the centralised model (4.52)

 

How many Practices were involved? (5.23)

 

What’s the process? (6.05)

 

How has the process been adapted over time? (9.06)

 

Feedback from Practices… (10.15)

 

Checking and Monitoring (11.58)

 

Initial discoveries.. (11.54)

 

Feedback from Practices & Patients.. (14.52)

 

Managing time… (16.24)

 

Next steps… (18.18)

 

What advice do you have for other PCNs? (19.25)

 

Graph showing the site-by-site progress that has been made since introducing the HRDM service up until 17/11/2


For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.

Graph showing the site-by-site progress that has been made since introducing the HRDM service up until 17/11/22

 

Jan 9, 2023

Jamie Hynes is a GP in Black Country and on this podcast he discusses his brand new, incredible, creation ‘It’s a (GP's) Wonderful Life’. It’s a story of a GP approaching burnout, whose guardian angel visits, (Professor Dame Helen Stokes-Lampard) and presents all the evidence on continuity of care and shows the impact on the town had he got his wish to have never been a GP. All set, as you may have guessed,  within the narrative of the well-known film ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’. In this episode, Ben also asks Jamie to share his thoughts on the difficulties within General Practice and the future of continuity of care. We also get to hear about what’s next for Jamie.

 

Introduction (0.09)

 

Jamie’s role.. (0.30)

 

It’s a (GP's) Wonderful Life... (1.06)

 

The pressures of working (3.04)

 

How burnout feels (4.01)

 

The creation of ‘It’s a (GP's) Wonderful Life’ (4.39)

 

The importance of the illustrations within the video (6.10)

 

The star of the show (7.43)

 

How much time has it taken to create this important story? (8.08)

 

The difficulties of General Practice (9.06)

 

The future of continuity of care in General Practice (12.44)

 

Awaiting Government's response.. (14.59)

 

Thoughts on the recommendations of the Stocktake review (15.48)

 

How to watch ‘It’s a (GP’s) Wonderful Life’ (16.51)

 

What’s next for Jamie Hynes? (17.32)

 

Final words (20.36)

 

To watch 'It's a (GP's) Wonderful Life', click here

 

To watch any further videos mentioned by Jamie today, see links below;

 

The National Health

 

GPKipling

 

StartTheFire

 

For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.

Dec 19, 2022

Ben is joined once again this week by Paul Gordon, our almost resident pensions expert (!) Now Head of Medical Specialist Wealth Planning at Atomos, Paul returns to update us on the most recent changes to the NHS Pension, namely the launch of a new consultation which could relieve some of the issues and confusion which surround the existing pension offer. What are the key elements of this new consultation, particularly in relation to retirement? And how could these changes lead to an improvement in the retention of staff? Ben and Paul tackle these topics (and more) in our final Ockham podcast of 2022.

 

Introduction (0.09)

 

How could the new consultation ease some of the problems related to the current NHS Pension? (0.52)

 

What are the main changes? (1.43)

 

Actively contributing whilst working (3.54)

 

Retention of staff (4.36)

 

Addressing the challenges of the Pension Scheme (5.22)

 

An overview of the consultation (7.07)

 

Resolving or ameliorating? (7.34)

 

Lifetime allowance (8.30)

 

Access to your Total Rewards Statement (9.31)

 

Contacting NHS Business Services Authority (10.09)

 

What is Pension theft? (11.20)

 

Tax charges advice (14.57)

 

PCN access to NHS Pensions information (16.03)

 

GP federations & wider problems (17.16)

 

What else should we be aware of at this stage? (18.45)

 

Getting in touch with Paul (20.07)



For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.

Listen to Paul Gordon’s previous podcast here.

NHS Business Services Authority - 0300 330 1346

Accessing your Total Rewards Statement

To contact Paul directly: Paul.gordon@atomos.co.uk

Dec 12, 2022

Ben is in esteemed company on the podcast this week, joined by Dr Martin Allen (Consultant Physician and a Clinical Lead in Respiratory Medicine at University Hospital North Midlands), Kerry Mills (Advanced Respiratory Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Lead at Hereford Medical Group) and Andrea McConkey of the Wessex Academic Health Science Network, who brief us on all aspects of FeNO testing. Measuring fractional exhaled nitric oxide in the breath of patients, FeNO testing devices are a novel medical technology used to support the diagnosis of asthma. In this episode, we learn about how FeNO testing works in practice, the impact testing is having on the management and treatment of asthma and how others can get their hands on the devices and all available resources. Martin, Kerry and Andrea also welcome listeners to join a recently launched learning collaborative and share some incredibly useful links to further information on the FeNO revolution.

Introduction (0.54)

What is FeNO testing? (2.08)

What difference has it made to the management of asthma? (5.48)

Why are we not seeing a bigger uptake? (8.34)

The AHSN Programme (9.32)

The rollout of FeNO (12.18)

FeNO equipment costing (16.15)

Overcoming the barriers of Feno - Martin & Andrea (17.14)

Advice about getting started (20.23)

Final words (22.18)

 

West Midlands Academic Health Science Network's website is here.

A wealth of information about FeNO is also available within the Wessex AHSN website here.

The AHSN Network can support you in finding out how and where to get started on your FeNO journey here.

For infographics and guidance about how the devices themselves and how testing works in practice check out the Circassia device and the Bedfont device

If you're interested in finding out more about each of available devices, contact Steven who can guide you on the Circassia option, or Marc for the Bedfont device.

Information about the Rapid Uptake Programme is here.

NICE guidance is accessible here.

For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.

To find out more information about Livi, their services and how to get in touch, check out their website here.

Dec 5, 2022

In this week's episode, we are joined by Hussain Gandhi who reflects on his last three and a half years as a Clinical Director. Gandhi and Ben discuss the Primary Care Network infrastructure; what has changed in terms of staffing and the introduction of the additional roles, the impact of these changes and what we might expect to see next. We also quiz Gandhi about the transition to a more hybrid pattern of working; the overall impact of this on teams and what is necessary in terms of tech, and other considerations, for supporting strong communication and maximising our effectiveness.

 

Introduction - Life as a PCN Clinical Director (1.13)

 

Re-election process for a Clinical Director (1.39)

 

Splitting your role as a Clinical Director (2.08)

 

What areas of the role do you enjoy? (2.54)

 

Infrastructure of a PCN (3.46)

 

Enhanced access (5.21)

 

Technology progress in PCN (6.06)

 

Does remote working affect your PCN? (8.11)

 

Any tips for making remote meetings work? (9.54)

 

New entrants to the IT market for General Practice (11.14)

 

Reflecting over the past 3 and a half years (12.37)

 

What’s next for PCN’s? (13.46)

 

The GP Assistant role (14.47)

 

How do you introduce new roles into PCN’s? (16.43)

 

Next steps for the workforce in the PCN (17.57)

 

Are operational requirements of PCNs manageable? (20.09)

 

The impact of Integrated Care Systems and what’s expected next? (21.31)

 

How does the BMA Current Policy & the Fuller Review affect your role? (23.41)

 

What lessons have you learnt since becoming a Clinical Director? (25.27)

 

Where to find information on EGP Learning (26.49)

 

The link to the eGP learning YouTube channel is here and for all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.

To find out more information about Livi, their services and how to get in touch, check out their website here.

Nov 28, 2022

In this month’s Practice Index sponsored panel episode, Robyn and Ben are joined by Practice Index HR guru Susi O’Brien to reflect upon a rollercoaster last three years in general practice and the resulting impact on staffing levels. Post-Covid demand and ongoing strike action across the healthcare sector (amongst other factors) are leading to a steep increase in rates of employee dissatisfaction and a culture of ‘quiet quitting’. What exactly is ‘quiet quitting’ though? What can lead to people quitting quietly? And most importantly, how can we better address the causes of demotivation, stress and burnout within the workforce, to improve staff satisfaction and retention in our own networks?

Introduction (0.43)

Common findings from the clinics Robyn and Susi hold (1.19)

What is quiet quitting? (1.48)

Quiet quitting in the workplace (3.44)

Is quiet quitting linked to pay and inflation? (5.0)

Has the pressure of the past three years caused staff to burn out? (7.02)

Addressing quiet quitting (8.11)

Impact of remote working (10.28)

Managers supporting each other (12.28)

Impact of strikes - Robyn (14.56)

Impact of strikes - Susi (16.35)

How to be proactive regarding quiet quitting (18.04)


For all enquiries about the Practice Index / Ockham podcast, please contact James Dillon here or Ben Gowland here 

Nov 21, 2022

This week, we are proud to introduce none other than Sir David Haslam, former Chair & President of the Royal College of GPs, former President of the British Medical Association, and former NICE Chair, amongst his countless other guises. Within this ‘must-listen’ episode, David talks to Ben about some of the key areas of focus within his fascinating new book; ‘Side Effects….’ and to offer his views on more the more problematic areas of general practice, as well as where we can and should be more progressive, from his perspective as a former GP, and as things stand currently.

Introduction (9 secs)

Meeting David (1 min 8 secs)

What prompted David to write his book? (1 min 31 secs)

Identifying what we are trying to achieve (3 mins 2 secs)

Choosing what and where to prioritise (4 mins 49 secs)

Applying rationality to what we can (and can’t) provide support for at system level (6 mins 55 secs)

Managing public expectation (8 mins 26 secs)

The impact focusing on individuals has on maintaining effective delivery (10 mins 53 secs)

Investment in preventative care and what that looks like (11 mins 59 secs)

‘Sexing up’ general practice? (13 mins 55 secs)

The risks to continuity of care (16 mins 6 secs)

ICS implications where the loss of financial ownership is concerned (17 mins 41 secs)

The role of communities in the creation of a more sustainable future (18 mins 53 secs)

How we deliver services within a community-based model (20 mins 12 secs)

David’s take on the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (21 mins 34 secs)

Where does David see effective and positive changes happening going forwards? (23 mins 13 secs)

Getting your hands on a copy of the book…. (24 mins 30 secs)

 

 

‘Side Effects: How Our Healthcare Lost its Way and How We Fix it’ by David Haslam is available in all the usual places but here’s a link to the outlet David mentioned within the episode.

You can learn more about David and his work via his dedicated website here.

Nov 14, 2022

Most of us are aware of the impact of having pharmacy expertise within our practice and network teams but in many areas, the continuing issue of sourcing (and retaining) pharmacists is proving to be a very challenge. In this week’s episode, we meet Holly Laurence and Ruhina Kassam from Clinical Pharmacist Solutions (CPS), an award-winning training, recruitment and clinical services provider that specialise in providing much-needed, skilled pharmacy resources to practices and primary care networks. Holly and Ruhina talk to Ben about the problem of sourcing staff, why it can be so difficult to hold on to good pharmacists, what we can be doing to incentivise potential new pharmacy staff (and hold onto them), and what CPS can offer by way of support.

 

Introduction (9 secs)

Meeting Holly, Head of Primary Care Support (26 secs)

…and Service Manager Ruhina (1 min 10 secs)

Is recruitment of Clinical Pharmacists a widespread problem, generally? And if so, why? (1 min 29 secs)

Working out what you want from your pharmacist (3 mins 29 secs)

Setting up dedicated support networks (4 mins 51 secs)

Expectations of salary (5 mins 30 secs)

Handling pay scales (6 mins 41 secs)

Meeting pharmacist expectations (7 mins 20 secs)

Maintaining retention (8 mins 2 secs)

Working within a multi practice network? (8 mins 39 secs)

Holly’s role and how she can ease the burden of recruitment on primary care staff (9 mins 36 secs)

Access and availability of pharmacists (11 mins 11 secs)

The CPS training programme (12 mins 8 secs)

Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) assessment (14 mins 38 secs)

What else do CPS offer by way of support to practices (15 mins 10 secs)

Slotting in alongside the national pharmacy training programme (16 mins 9 secs)

Pricing schedules (16 mins 45 secs)

Getting in touch (17 mins 41 secs)

 

If you’d like further information please check out the CPS website or their LinkedIn page here.

Nov 7, 2022

Rightly or wrongly, we often find ourselves neglecting basic policy and procedural elements of the job, when patient demand, clinical priorities and a never-ending stream of new directives are cascaded down from on high. So, with this in mind, we invited regulatory solicitor and lecturer David Sinclair to feature on today’s podcast, to bring governance and cyber security more sharply into focus. With the threat of cyber-attacks on the rise, coupled with a quickly evolving policy landscape when it comes to GDPR, data protection and information security, we discuss what practices should be doing now to ready themselves, who should take responsibility for this critical area of work, and what to expect going forwards.

 

Introduction (9 secs)

Meeting David (1 min 5 secs)

Current prevalence of cyber attacks on GP practices (1 min 22 secs)

What do practices need to be doing right now to protect themselves against the risk of cyber security breaches? (2 mins 26 secs)

Management of governance and data protection protocols (3 mins 1 sec)

The importance of employing the services of those with the required, specialist knowledge (4 mins 21 secs)

Establishment of a named Data Protection Officer (DPO) (5 mins 24 secs)

Who is accountable if / when something goes wrong? (7 mins)

Proactive proof of compliance (8 mins 15 secs)

How do we best demonstrate GDPR compliance? (9 mins 35 secs)

Commonly made mistakes and issues (11 mins 26 secs)

Responding to data subject access requests (13 mins 29 secs)

Who should we consult when seeking advice specifically related to data subject access requests? (14 mins 45 secs)

Strategies for managing subject access requests (15 mins 21 secs)

Other commonly faced issues and things to be aware of going forwards (16 mins 59 secs)

What the future might look like when it comes to governance and security (18 mins 12 secs)

Summarising today’s discussions (19 mins 6 secs)

A final word from David (19 mins 56 secs)

Getting in touch (20 mins 41 secs)

 

If you’d like further information, and / or to connect with David directly, please check out the DR Solicitors website.

Oct 31, 2022

As part of a series of sponsored podcasts, we meet Livi’s Lead GP Dr Bryony Henderson to discuss the dynamics of virtual consultations and life as a Livi GP. Bryony talks us through her own experiences; her background as a GP Partner and subsequent transition to virtual working, why she feels the flexibility it affords has made such a profound difference to managing her own workload and meeting patient needs, how her schedule of work runs in practice and the support networks which are available within Livi’s network, and why the numbers of healthcare staff opting to join the Livi revolution is increasing.  

 

Introduction (9 secs)

Livi GPs in numbers (1 min 11 secs)

An offer of flexible working (1 min 39 secs)

Is there a typical route in for Livi GPs? (2 mins 20 secs)

How does a shift with Livi run in practice? (3 mins 6 secs)

How are patients referred and what’s the appointment process? (3 mins 56 secs)

Sacrificing continuity of care? (5 mins 35 secs)

Looking after the wellbeing of a virtual GP cohort (6 mins 55 secs)

What are the most important factors when it comes to maintaining wellbeing? (8 mins 27 secs)

Measuring job satisfaction (9 mins 8 secs)

Contracted appointment schedules (9 mins 44 secs)

Patient reaction (10 mins 26 secs)

Managing onwards referrals, where face to face consultation is required (11 mins 21 secs)

How do we change current public perception where demand for face-to-face appointments is concerned? (12 mins)

What’s next for Livi? (13 mins 56 secs)

Is there an impact on GP numbers across the board? (14 mins 27 secs)

Working patterns as a virtual GP (15mins 8 secs)

Where can I get more information? (15 mins 51 secs)

Opportunities for other staffing groups (6 mins 24 secs)

 

To find out more information about Livi, their services and how to get in touch, check out their website here.

Oct 23, 2022

In this month’s Practice Index sponsored Practice Manager panel, Nicola, Robyn, and Ben turn their attentions to planning for, funding, and staffing the winter months ahead. With the recent NHS England announcement of a Primary Care funding package, the group discuss the parameters of this, how the funding model has been set out and how we might utilise the allocated monies to best effect, and also discuss the wider ramifications such as the influence of the media, policy makers and public perception on managing and meeting demand during a time when pressure is at its highest and staffing levels remain at the lowest they have ever been.

 

Introduction (9 secs)

Will NHS England’s package of support be of benefit this year? Nicola’s view (35 secs)

Robyn’s initial thoughts (1 min 44 secs)

Flexibility of funding? (2 mins 14 secs)

System development funding and framework – the application process from a Practice Manager perspective (3 mins 16 secs)

Establishment of two-way communication (5 mins 59 secs)

Urgent care demand and the impact on general practice workload (7 mins 36 secs)

A change in central communications (8 mins 52 secs)

Issues of consistency when it comes to messaging (11 mins 32 secs)

Impact on staffing and recruitment (12 mins 47 secs)

‘Sexing up’ Primary Care (14 mins 37 secs)

What can practices do to make the most of the winter funding pot? (16 mins 3 secs)

Applying flexibility in funding local needs (17 mins 38 secs)

A creative and community-based approach (18 mins 34 secs)

“Seeking forgiveness, rather than permission” (19 mins 24 secs)

 

For all enquiries about the Practice Index / Ockham podcast, please contact James Dillon here or Ben Gowland here

Oct 16, 2022

In the latest of our podcast episodes sponsored by Livi, we meet GPs Nicole Atkinson and Nicola Decker, who have similarly considerable experience of working in leadership roles, both within the outgoing Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), and now within the newer Integrated Care Systems (ICSs), and critically, in supporting and managing the transition within their own local areas. They offer Ben their thoughts on where the main challenges may lie, the lessons they have learned whilst on their own, respective journeys, where we should be focusing our energies and priorities right now, and why they feel general practice (and primary care as a whole) has what it takes to succeed in a wider and a possibly less level playing field.

 

Intro (9 secs)

Meeting Nicola Decker (1 min 4 secs)

Nicole’s remit and experience (2 mins 5 secs)

…and her take on what ICSs are and how she feels they differ from CCGs (2 mins 45 secs)

Nicola’s views on the newer models of care (4 mins 12 secs)

Organisation of resources, having influence and establishment of a voice within a larger system (5 mins 25 secs)

How do we enable general practice to be an effective partner? (7 mins 40 secs)

The Primary Care Collaborative….at place or system level? (9 mins 53 secs)

Consideration of the task, the ask and the purpose (10 mins 48 secs)

How does Primary Care take ownership and hold their influence across the system? (11 mins 20 secs)

Managing the transition and ensuring that we can be as proactive as possible (13 mins 49 secs)

Has there ever been a better time for general practice to collaborate effectively? (15 mins 7 secs)

Is this a time limited opportunity? (17 mins 27 secs)

Are we united by a shared challenge? (18 mins 10 secs)

Working out where to start (19 mins 45 secs)

A change of mindset and working across boundaries (20 mins 35 secs)

A final word from Nicola (22 mins 46 secs)

 

To find out more information about Livi, their services and how to get in touch, check out their website here.

Oct 9, 2022

As chair of the Fuller Report workstream focused on data, population health management, demand/capacity, risk stratification and health inequalities, GP Partner and Clinical Chair of the Greater Peterborough Network, Dr Neil Modha is well placed to offer further insight into the objectives and outcomes of the report, and what it really means for the general practice of the future. Fortunately, Ben has managed to grab 23 minutes of Neil’s time to discuss some of the key takeaways such as; when and how do we embed some of the report’s recommendations, how do we adapt these to ensure we are able to meet local needs, how do these fit within the new backdrop of integrated care, and what are the expectations of primary care now, and in the future?

 

Introduction (9 secs)

Neil’s take on the final version of the Fuller Report (30 secs)

How mindful of the report are we in general practice right now? (1 min 24 secs)

A muted reaction? (2 mins 23 secs)

What are the key implications of the report? (3 mins 39 secs)

Access and urgent care (4 mins 28 secs)

Where does responsibility sit for meeting and managing the urgent care demand? (6 mins 30 secs)

Are we moving towards a ‘hub’ style of working practice? (8 mins 19 secs)

Why we should be proactive in shaping the future, and in embedding the recommendations within the report (10 mins)

Integrated Neighbourhood Teams; the end of the road for PCNs? (10 mins 52 secs)

Where does general practice sit in terms of a leadership perspective (13 mins 42 secs)

Funding new models of care (15 mins 21 secs)

Thoughts on maintaining influence within a wider context (17 mins 50 secs)

Neil’s advice for networks and practices on ensuring preparedness (19 mins 45 secs)

Oct 2, 2022

We last spoke with GP Dr Paul Bennett way back in December 2019 BC (before Covid) when his Porchester based surgery was in the process of trialling new and innovative ways of meeting and managing patient demand. Fast forward to almost three years later; post pandemic, within a rapidly evolving general practice landscape, and with the pressure to provide more appointments at an all-time high, Paul and his team have had to adapt and improve their previous strategies, to offset the needs of their patient population against decreasing numbers of medical professionals. In this week’s podcast instalment, Paul talks Ben through the new systems they have embedded to manage the challenge of capacity and demand, and why he feels that in Porchester, they are able to offer a safer, more streamlined, and equitable service.

 

Introduction (10 secs)

What’s been happening since we last spoke to Paul? (47 secs)

How does the ‘pod’ system work? (2 mins 5 secs)

The role of the Care Navigator (2 mins 25 secs)

eConsult platforms and eForm creation (2 mins 44 secs)

Breaking down the two components of demand (3 mins 34 secs)

Managing patient access (4 mins 38 secs)

Allocation of a designated pod team (5 mins 30 secs)

Management of those requiring urgent treatment (6 mins 5 secs)

Transferring patients from routine to urgent care pathways (8 mins 22 secs)

The red flag form (9 mins 19 secs)

Forms for more specific conditions and concerns (10 mins 4 secs)

Aligning the process within the wider network (11 mins 40 secs)

Managing triage, decision-making and proactively signposting patients (12 mins 25 secs)

Development of the case managers and the pod team skill mix (13 mins 9 secs)

Positive impacts and lessons learned (14 mins 44 secs)

Measuring outcomes (15 mins 53 secs)

What have been the main issues or problems? (16 mins 26 secs)

Reaction from the doctors to newer ways of working (17 mins 18 secs)

Next steps (19 mins 9 secs)

Finding out more and getting in touch (20 mins 37 secs)

 

If you’d like to find out more about the systems in place at Westlands Medical Centre, Paul’s is contactable here.

Sep 25, 2022

In the latest of our Livi-sponsored podcast episodes, Ben speaks to Dr Harriet Bradley, GP, and Medical Director at Livi, and Dan Kane, GP Federation Chief Executive Officer at Northampton General Practice Alliance, about the widespread shortage of GPs across the country, and how Livi are working with local systems to support them in meeting patient demand and increasing capacity. Harriet talks to us about the Livi ethos, their work and how they operate as a service and also, from the perspective of local practices and networks, Dan is able to offer valuable insight into the impact that employment of Livi’s services has made on them in not only increasing the availability of doctors but as to how the service has been received by primary care staff and the benefits felt by the patients they serve.   

Introductions (1 min 4 secs)

Meeting Livi’s Harriet Bradley (1 min 20 secs)

Meeting Dan Kane, Northampton General Practice Alliance’s CEO (1 min 49 secs)

The relationship between Livi and GPA (2 mins 15 secs)

How does the service work in practice and how are the Livi GPs embedded within existing local systems? (3 mins 24 secs)

Tailored support models for each individual area (4 mins 22 secs)

The response from practices (5 mins 34 secs)

Support at federation level (7 mins 26 secs)

Building trust and effective communication channels (8 mins 30 secs)

Dan fills us in on the GPA journey with Livi and why they decided to use their services (9 mins 36 secs)

How do local GPs feel about Livi? (10 mins 40 secs)

Getting buy-in from the get-go (11 mins 50 secs)

Integration with EMIS and SystmOne (12 mins 57 secs)

Building up the reserves of doctor capacity from Livi’s perspective (14 mins 21 secs)

IT access and requirements (15 mins 26 secs)

Funding and payment to Livi (15 mins 58 secs)

Who typically commissions Livi’s services? (16 mins 55 secs)

What’s next for Dan and GPA? (17 mins 37 secs)

What are Livi’s aims and aspirations, going forwards? (19 mins 5 secs)

Advice from Dan on key considerations and what works (20 mins 1 sec)

Getting in touch with Livi and finding out more (21 mins 39 secs)

 

 

To find out more information about Livi, their services and how to get in touch, check out their website here.

Sep 19, 2022

With the nights now beginning to draw in, the reality of the cost-of-living crisis is looming large over general practice. With charges for heating, lighting, and overall maintenance of our premises going up, coupled with the impact of inflation on pay, the promised staff pay rises and the difficulty of balancing the books ever more challenging, and with all the usual winter pressures now around the corner…something has got to give. Our ever-popular Practice Index panel members, and Institute of General Practice Management (IGPM) directors, Robyn, and Nicola, return to discuss their own concerns, the approaches they are taking in their own practice areas, and share their thoughts about the key considerations for primary care, as a whole.

 

Introduction (9 secs)

What has Nicola been up to since our last conversation? (22 secs)

And what’s keeping Robyn busy right now? (43 secs)

What are the challenges of the cost-of-living crisis at practice level? (59 secs)

Balancing staff pay rises (2 mins 35 secs)

Maintenance of buildings and services and rising utilities costs (4 mins 37 secs)

Travelling, home visits, and fuel charges (5 mins 25 secs)

Staff turnover (6 mins 39 secs)

Patient health and wellbeing and the potential for a further increase in demand (8 mins 3 secs)

Implications for GP Partners (9 mins 47 secs)

Sustainability of the practice as a business (11 mins 43 secs)

Is there any support available? (13 mins 4 secs)

Action from the Institute of General Practice Management (14 mins 2 secs)

Making the primary care voice heard (15 mins 14 secs)

 

For all enquiries about the Practice Index / Ockham podcast, please contact James Dillon here or Ben Gowland here

 

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