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Specialist Medical Accountant James Gransby returns to the Ockham podcast to give his invaluable advice and assessment of the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on primary care finances. What is currently being offered by the government by way of support for individuals, practices and networks, where are the landmines and what should we be mindful of now and going forwards?

Introductions (0:09)

What is in place to support practices right now? (0:19)

The Coronavirus Act 2020: Implications for general practice explained (1:15)

‘Furloughing’ of staff (3:14)

The overall picture for primary care in summary (5:16)

How are PCNs affected? (5:56)

How to reflect a pandemic within a balance sheet (8:00)

The national return to work scheme (8:51)

Death in service (11:50)

How worried should we be about the financial impact? (12:36)

Relaxation of pension rules (13:35)

Getting in touch (15:35)

James is contactable via email: James.Gransby@rsmuk.com

https://www.rsmuk.com/our-people/james-gransby

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In the wake of the global coronavirus crisis, GP surgeries across the UK are facing the challenge of transforming working practice within a short space of time and reducing in-person consultations with their patients, whilst protecting their staff and maximising their capacity to deal with everyday demands alongside those presented by the pandemic. Dr Ravi Tomar was part of the transition at Portland Medical ahead of time and gives his advice for managing the changes and reflects on the key outcomes that they have experienced as a result.

Introductions (0:38)

The move towards telephone and ‘virtual’ triage (0:48)

Portland Medical: the stats (2:32)

Decreasing locum use (3:03)

Impact on face to face consultations (4:23)

Reducing face to face appointments as a result of Covid-19 (5:05)

Video consultation (6:09)

What tech is required? (6:58)

Telephone versus video consultations (7:36)

Video consults: lessons learned and practical advice (8:18)

Telephone to video consultation: managing an in-consult switch (10:37)

Covid-19 effect on day-to-day practice (11:20)

The system for managing Covid-19 at Portland Medical (12:06)

The ‘hot and cold’ model (13:16)

The role of other healthcare professionals and upskilling the workforce (14:50)

What are the significant outcomes as a result of the changes? (16:47)

Transition from old to new processes (18:18)

Patient feedback (19:51)

Final thoughts (20:17)

Getting in touch (20:17)

Preparedness update letter for general practice: 27 March 2020 here

Portland Medical website: https://www.portlandmedicalcentre.co.uk/

Dr Ravi Tomar is contactable via email: ravi.tomar@nhs.net

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How do you prepare for an upcoming crisis which is anticipated, yet unpredictable? What steps should a practice and a network be taking to manage its response and resources, whilst safeguarding its people? Which issues should be tackled and what workstreams should be put in place now? Project Management expert, Tara Humphrey, who supports the development of Primary Care Networks and GP Federations, chats to Ben Gowland about her experiences so far and offers practical advice for maximising efficiency ahead of time.

Introductions (0:22)

The state of play locally (0:56)

What support is available now for practices? (1:30)

Practical considerations (2:17)

The importance of communication (3:46)

Site/s management (5:08)

What are the biggest challenges for practices and networks? (5:53)

Co-ordinating skills and expertise (8:35)

Managing communication effectively and supporting staff (8:59)

Leadership during a crisis (10:59)

The mood in general practice right now (14:26)

Next steps (16:37)

Supporting well-being (17:50)

NHS Confederation document (How CCGs can support PCNs and practices during the Covid-19 crisis) here

Find out more about Tara Humphrey:

• THC Primary Care https://www.thcprimarycare.co.uk/
• Listen to The Business of Healthcare Podcast with Tara Humphrey for a behind-the-scenes look at the business side of healthcare.
• Connect on Twitter and Linkedin