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GP Dr Neil Modha returns to the Ockham sofa this week to discuss the topic of health inequalities, something which is particularly close to his heart on account of the vulnerable communities which make up the majority of his Thistlemoor practice in Peterborough’s patient population. From QOF measures to Covid vaccination numbers, Neil explains why the current funding model and the systems in place are not always supportive of those working their hardest to meet the needs of those most in need but also, with the introduction of integrated care systems and some close liaison with NHS England, why there is reason to be optimistic going forwards.

Introduction (0:36)

The population served by Neil’s practice (0:50)

How the Thistlemoor team are meeting the needs of vulnerable patient groups (1:24)

Covid vaccinations and why measured targets are not always representative of efforts on the ground (2:23)

Weighted populations (5:05)

The Carr-Hill formula and how it works in practice (6:01)

Other GP contract pressures (7:02)

Challenges of QOF and ‘absolute’ target setting (8:49)

Increasing the inequality gap (9:40)

The digital impact (11:25)

Barriers to tech (12:42)

What is the best way forward? (14:05)

Can change happen with the introduction of integrated care systems? (16:44)

The appetite for change within the centralised bodies (18:41)

Optimism for the future (20:25)

Funding analysis– can you help?! (21:19)

The episode Ben refers to, where Neil introduces us to Thistlemoor’s innovative open access model, can be found here

If you can assist with some funding analysis, Ben can put you in touch with Neil