Agenda item

This report provides an update on actions undertaken by Unity Health to remedy the difficulties that patients are experiencing in contacting the practice.

There was one registration to speak on this item. Paula Tunbridge, Director of Campus Life and Wellbeing at the University of York spoke about the University’s concerns regarding any alternative service for students, should Unity Health not be allowed to register new patients. Ms Tunbridge explained that the bespoke student support offered by Unity Health was a crucial service, involving important pastoral and administrative factors to support breaks from study and student specific issues.

Dr Wilcox, a Partner at Unity Health, spoke about the changes that have been made to the communication and triage elements of their service since their last appearance at the committee.

-       The online triage system has ceased and the practice has moved to a phone based system.

-       More call-handlers have been employed and conversations have continued with BT to help resolve ongoing technical issues.

-       Drop in clinics organised on weekends

-       Redesigning of access model, now a doctor led point of contact with doctors and a pharmacist in the same room as the call-handlers, to help deal with issues quickly and identify more urgent cases easily.

Dr Wilcox informed the committee that the general feedback has been good and patients are reporting that it is now easier to access the service.

Dr Wilcox then informed the committee of the actions taken to rectify some of the larger concerns flagged by the CQC report:

-       Following the inspection on 23 May, where Unity Health were rated inadequate, the practice acted swiftly with help from the Clinical Commissioning Group, Local Medical Committee and the Royal College of General Practitioners.

-       More staff, including doctors and nurses have been employed

There has been open communication with the Care Quality Commission throughout this process and Unity health are confident of a more favourable follow up visit.

Members welcomed the effort that has been made by Unity Health to resolve some of the issues flagged up by the CQC report. There were still a number of outstanding concerns for members including:

-       The time that it would take to initiate ‘plan B’

-       Ongoing concerns with outstanding complaints

-       The pressure that the new student population would exert on the service and whether this would lead to the same issues re-occurring

Dr Wilcox informed the committee that all the plans were in place to receive the new intake of student patients as it always is and this year would be no different. It was also noted that all vacant call-handler positions had now been filled. It was also noted that only the two regulatory failures were being re-inspected in September and both Unity Health and the CCG were confident these had been rectified.

Dr Kevin Smith, from the Clinical Commissioning Group was also in attendance to discuss the support that he and his team had been giving to Unity Health and discuss with the committee the way in which the CCG currently monitor GP’s in the Vale of York.

Dr Wilcox finished by explaining to the committee the upgrades being made to the practice at Wenlock Terrace, to increase the number of consulting rooms and create a better care environment.

Resolved: That Unity Health will be invited back to the Health, Housing and Adult Social Care Policy and Scrutiny committee to update the committee on their progress at a future meeting.