The General Practice Podcast

Could the future of rural healthcare be at risk? Join us as we welcome Nicola Davies, Matthew Isom & Ed Kennedy to discuss the pressing challenges confronting dispensing practices in rural areas. These practices, crucial for providing medication to patients living far from pharmacies, are battling rising drug costs and inadequate reimbursements. 

Hear how once profitable operations are now facing financial strain, threatening essential healthcare services for communities who depend on them. Tune in to understand why national level resolutions are crucial to preventing health inequalities and preserving essential services for rural communities.

Introduction (00:08)

The 1.6kilometre rule.. (01:34) 

Challenges dispensing practices are facing.. (02:10) 

A third are operating at a loss.. (05:42) 

Does dispensing activity subsidise core service delivery? (07:51) 

Reports.. (19:06) 

What needs to change? (20:58)

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

Join Ben as he explores the new primary care patient safety strategy released in September, with expert Laura Marshall, Co-Founder L&L Consultancy Group and senior associate at Oliver and Company. This episode uncovers the strategy's potential to revolutionise patient safety in general practice and addresses the challenges and opportunities it presents. 

Ben & Laura highlight the need for a different culture where staff can report incidents without fear of blame. By fostering trust and confidence through effective communication of outcomes and changes, they aim to encourage comprehensive reporting and learning within general practices. Don't miss Laura's enthusiasm and willingness to engage with listeners for more in-depth discussions on these crucial topics.

Introduction (00:09) 

Patient Safety Strategy (00:37)

Not reporting issues.. (01:13)

Learning, not blaming (04:41)

How to implement these changes? (07:02)

Who does this fall on? (08:14)

What difference will practices see? (10:22)

Overcoming the fear.. (11:41)

Feedback on reporting.. (15:19)

Implementing this into practices (16:51) 

Additional resources? (19:11)

What will be different? (20:24) 

The CQC (21:57) 

Getting in touch.. (24:47)

Contact Laura directly via email here, or find Laura on LinkedIn here.

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

In this week’s episode, brought to you in partnership with Practice Index, we welcome James Gransby and Ceri Chaplin. They join Ben to discuss the implications of the recent budget on general practice, sharing concerns about how these changes could significantly impact practice finances. They highlight the projected cost increase for employing someone on minimum wage next year, illustrating the financial pressures facing GP practices. The episode further explores the funding challenges general practice managers face, focusing on the gap between rising staff salaries and insufficient funding. The episode emphasises the need for more clarity and planning to ensure primary care can effectively manage resources amidst these financial uncertainties.

If you'd like to come to Guidelines Live (free for practice management staff), simply click here and ensure you select 'Practice Management' in the profession field. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] to secure your ticket.

Introduction (00:08) 

The budget (00:50)

The two big changes.. (01:48)

The changes to the National Living Wage? (03:15)

Impact on practices (03:45)

Another rise, unfunded or underfunded? (04:08)

Calculations about the impact on practices. (04:37)

Has general practice been caught in the crossfire? (05:26)

The offset.. (06:35) 

The partnership model.. (08:39) 

What are the other impacts from the budget? (10:37) 

Could partners leave sooner? (12:30)

Practice premises upgrade.. (13:37) 

The future is looking promising.. (14:37)

The local community (15:20) 

Key takeaways (17:33)

Advice & final thoughts.. (20:53) 

To visit the Practice Index website, click here or contact James Dillon here.

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

Join Ben as he brings together pensions expert Paul Gordon and accountant James Gransby to explore the recent changes in NHS pensions. They discuss the aftermath of the age discrimination case and its consequences following the government's loss, which has resulted in revised pension statements for many NHS members.

The discussion delves into the complexities of NHS pension figures and annual allowance returns, highlighting the challenges faced by both individuals and practices. They emphasise the importance of using medical specialist accountants to ensure accuracy in submissions.

Join Paul and James for this dynamic discussion and how to prepare yourself with the knowledge to tackle these pension challenges, and those dreaded brown envelopes, with confidence.

To join the session Paul & James are running at 8am on the 31st October, the invite can be accessed here.

Meeting ID: 372 708 777 60

Passcode: UHL7CW

Introduction (00:09) 

The update (00:57) 

Updated statements (02:09)

Making a choice.. (04:00)

Rollback? (05:12)

Why is it not available on the website? (06:28) 

The brown envelope (07:29) 

What do you need to do? (08:37)

January deadline.. (10:48)

What’s happened since the brown envelope delivery? (11:28)

Changing schemes.. (15:31)

Summary.. (16:30)

The inside scoop.. (18:01) 

Budget breakfast & how to attend (24:11) 

The HMRC tool mentioned by James, ‘Calculate your public service pension adjustment’, can be accessed here.

 To contact James directly, his email can be found here, or visit James’ bio on the Azets website here.

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

Join Ben this week, with guest Joe McManners, a GP in Oxford, as they explore the challenges and potential solutions for enhancing primary and community care within the NHS. They tackle the provocative notion that a sudden influx of funding into primary care might not yield the desired outcomes without the necessary structures and capacity. Drawing insights from the Darcy report, they discuss the persistent issues plaguing the NHS and the historical difficulties of transitioning resources from hospital care to community-based care. They also explore the ongoing debate within general practice about expanding services versus adhering to current boundaries. Tune in for a discussion that underscores the need for stability and long-term planning in the evolving landscape of primary care.

Introduction (00:09) 

The Health Service Journal (00:53)

Going back to the 90s.. (02:34)

What's needed to make it different this time? (03:54)

Examples of this approach working (06:12)

Capacity in the community (07:45) 

Future structures? (09:38) 

What do we mean by a neighbourhood? (10:44) 

Integral structures.. (13:20) 

Capital investment.. (14:27)

Policy agenda (16:47)

New government, new investments? (19:31) 

What do we need to see in the next year? (20:45) 

The future of PCNs.. (22:16)

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

In this week’s episode, brought to you in partnership with Practice Index, we welcome back Claire Houston. Ben & Claire discuss the challenges PCNs face with the tight timelines and ambiguous guidance surrounding the new additional role reimbursement scheme for GPs. Claire shares her perspective on the recruitment hurdles, including stringent criteria, funding constraints, and the lack of clarity about funding beyond the initial six months. Tune in for an enlightening discussion on these pressing issues and potential pathways to sustainability in primary care.

Introduction (00:08) 

Underspend on the additional role reimbursement scheme (00:57) 

Introduction of the new additional role reimbursement scheme.. (01:50)

Funding beyond March (03:17)

Separate pot from the additional role reimbursement scheme (05:55) 

Assurances by NHS England (07:08) 

The numbers.. (08:43)

Where is additional money coming from? (09:43)

Providing support to the new GPs (11:30)

Where to place additional role staff.. (13:58)

Other stand outs about the new PCN Des.. (15:41)

PCN’s position.. (16:53)

Using unspent ARRS money.. (20:26)

To visit the Practice Index website, click here or contact James Dillon here.

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

Join Ben as he explores the critical intersection of healthcare and environmental sustainability with Dr Fran Cundill, a dedicated GP from North Sheffield and the chair of South Yorkshire Greener Practice. In their conversation, Fran shares her inspiring journey of spearheading sustainability initiatives across four PCNs. Discover how she crafted tailored green plans for each PCN, focusing on priorities like energy cost reduction, clinical de-prescribing, and green prescribing. Fran also candidly discusses the challenges and successes encountered along the way, emphasising the importance of integrating sustainability into daily healthcare practices.

Fran shares her focus on a targeted initiative aimed at improving asthma care within a PCN. This initiative has not only garnered positive reception but also resulted in environmental benefits. Hear about the successful implementation of an asthma project within a PCN, and the role of key stakeholders in driving the project’s success..

Introduction (00:08)

Environmental sustainability work (01:36) 

Turning the brief into specifics.. (02:53)

Working with each PCN.. (03:52) 

The biggest impacts (04:40)

The asthma project (06:33) 

Signing the practices up.. (08:32)

Setting targets (09:05) 

What changes were made? (10:14)

The overall impact.. (12:06)

The future.. (12:59) 

Key takeaways.. (14:11)

Finding support (15:49)

What's next for Fran? (17:38)

Visit the Greener Practice website here, the toolkit here, and the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare website here.

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

Join Ben for an engaging conversation with Amy Sissons, business partner and head of innovation at Qualitas Consortium, and Dr Naomi Bennett, GP partner and graduate of the Pathway for Partnership programme. Together, they explore how the Pathway for Partnership programme empowers both new and experienced GP partners to enhance their leadership abilities and drive practice transformation. Discover how the programme instils the confidence to challenge norms, enabling data-driven decisions and improving patient care. The discussion also covers the programme's positive impact on practice operations and its role in addressing NHS pressures.

Introduction (0:08)

Pathway for Partnership Programme.. (03:36)

Partners.. (05:01)

New partnership scheme (05:16)

How does it work in practice? (06:26)

How did you hear about the programme? (08:12

Becoming a GP Partner (09:16) 

What were the things then you kind of found most useful? (09:56)

Overall impact on the practice, staff & patients.. (12:22)

Patient Participation Group (15:33)

Development after the programme (17:09)

Top tips for a new partner.. (18:58)

Find out more.. (20:55)

Visit the Qualitas Consortium uk website here, or visit their facebook, Twitter or Linkedin.

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

For the sixth year running, we welcome back Hussain Gandhi, to reflect on the transformative journey of PCNs since their launch in 2019. Ben & Gandhi discuss the evolution of managing Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme roles, highlighting the transition from rapid growth and role definition to achieving stability and effectiveness within the workforce. They explore the power of collective action within PCNs, showcasing how diverse roles like health and wellbeing coaches, pharmacists, and care coordinators collaborate to enhance patient care. They discuss the importance of community partnerships in addressing broader health issues and reflect on the impact of recent governmental initiatives on general practice. Gandhi provides a critical analysis of potential future reforms and the need for targeted changes to support the sustainability and effectiveness of general practice in the UK. Listen in for a discussion that offers both a retrospective and forward looking perspective on the future of general practice.

Introduction (0:09)

2019 to now.. (00:30)

Does it feel different this year? (01:45)

How do you stop that from happening? (02:52)

Specific teams within the ARS group (03:22) 

Getting the balance right.. (04:46)

Has the balance changed? (05:43) 

Gandhi's thoughts on GPs being added to the additional roles scheme (06:50)

Could GPs take on a leadership role? (08:28)

Population management (09:52)

Community hub.. (12:19)

Collective action.. (14:38)

The right approach (16:59)

The new government (19:07)

How do you predict things are going to play out over the next few years? (20:48)

PCN Plus conference (23:50)

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

Join Ben this week as he explores the cutting-edge implementation of autonomous patient triage in general practice with esteemed guests, Jake Kennerson, at The Groves Medical Centre and Elango Vijaykumar, at NHS Surrey Heartlands. Over the course of this episode, Jake and Elango share their experiences with Rapid Health, a revolutionary triage tool that has transformed their practices. They describe how the system has allowed for seamless online appointment booking, significantly reducing the need for traditional phone based systems. Listen in as they reflect on the significant impact of these changes and share best practices for continued success in implementing these innovative solutions in general practice.

Introduction (00:08)

Rapid Health (01:08) 

How's it going.. (04:02)

Autonomous patient triage.. (05:20) 

Refining the process (07:33)

Statistics.. (08:59) 

Clinical governances & patient safety.. (12:14) 

Patient reaction so far.. (14:22)

Impact on practices.(18:30) 

Capacity concerns (21:02) 

Advice for others.. (23:18)

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