Agenda item
Primary care access and patient experience explained
- Meeting of Online 'Virtual' Meeting, Tower Hamlets Health and Wellbeing Board, Tuesday, 6th April, 2021 5.00 p.m. (Item 3.)
- View the background to item 3.
Minutes:
The Board noted that the Covid-19 pandemic is re-shaping the provision of healthcare within Tower Hamlets. New national and local initiatives have also impacted on primary care delivery models and the patient experience. The Borough’s communities are facing unprecedented challenges and therefore it is important to develop systems that address expanding health inequalities.
All organisations and systems within the Borough therefore need to reflect on these new challenges and effectively re-align their activities and operations. It was noted that working in partnership and integrating services where possible has the potential to transform the healthcare provision within the Borough against the most challenging social economic backdrop that our community faces. The main points arising from the discussions on this item may be summarised as follows:
The Board:
v Noted that whilst there has been considerable collaborative working between GP practices and community pharmacies there is still much that could be done.
v Observed that part of the role in GP surgeries is to transfer information to local communities on how to live healthier and how to access healthcare. The most accessible healthcare in some respect is within pharmacies, and a new plan for things is being undertaken in the north-west of the Borough is for patients to access the surgery, maybe online, with those who need something immediately they could get their medicine much quicker through consultation with the pharmacist. With the GP surgeries helping those patients with more complex medical problems. However, there is still more work to be done to open the communication channels so that patient can be referred quickly and have easy access between pharmacy the GP and vice versa.
v Commented that it is especially important to recognise that online access to services is not for everybody and going forward clarity is needed for people to know all the different pathways that they can use. The
v Noted that the Partners agencies have an ongoing programme of work to continually evaluate these kinds of issues, to try to make sure that they are breaking down barriers e.g. streamlining the online consultation process is not a static piece of work.
v Commented that whilst the Borough has come through a hectic scenario very quickly there is now a moment to reflect and think. The next phase is to really drill down and see what can be done around those patients that may be left behind by the new systems. The challenge is therefore about addressing the needs of the most vulnerable patients and the equalities agenda.
v Indicated that this is something that we should revisit and look to see what has been achieved. Also what measures are useful measures to be judged upon against the recommendations of the Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic Inequalities Commission.
v Agreed that the partners need to understand the impact that they are having and the consultation on the Health and Wellbeing Strategy would be an opportunity to consider this issue in more detail.
Recommendations:
The Health and Wellbeing Board agreed:
That the Board would receive a further report to evaluate how the needs of the most vulnerable patients and the equalities agenda are being addressed.
Supporting documents: