Merseyside Family Doctor Association
WELCOME
GP Federations & AGM
27 November 2014
GP Federations : What really
works?
Dr Stephen Cox, GP
Clinical Chief Executive NHS St Helens CCG
Briefly about me
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GP St Helens
Started as educator – GP Tutor and Trainer
PCT 2002 Board
Medical Director of RCGP Innovation Unit
Elected RCGP Council 2005,6 and Faculty Board
MD Halton and St Helens PCT
MD Merseyside
Clinical Accountable Officer NHS St.Helens CCG
Managing concerns, clinical commissioning, quality matters.
Federations
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What are they?
Why bother?
Have they worked so far?
Risks of not federating?
Conclusions
Star Trek
The United Federation of Planets, usually referred to as
"the Federation", is an interplanetary federal republic
composed of planetary sovereignties depicted in the
Star Trek science fiction franchise. The planetary
governments agree to exist semi-autonomously under
a single central government based on the Utopian
principles of universal liberty, rights, and equality, and
to share their knowledge and resources in peaceful
cooperation and space exploration
RCGP definition
A Federation is a group of practices and primary
care teams working together, sharing
responsibility for developing and delivering high
quality, patient focussed services for their local
communities.
RCGP
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RCGP Roadmap 2007
Lord Darzi Review
APMS
‘Aspiring to Excellence’
Ideological
Common purpose
As the coalition government moves
forward with their plans for clinical
commissioning, the Royal College of
General Practitioners (RCGP)
commissioned an online resource to
support GP practices forming
federations.
Developed by The King's Fund in
partnership with the RCGP, the Nuffield
Trust and Hempsons Solicitors, this
toolkit provides advice and support to
practitioners and managers in primary
care who are thinking about, or have
already embarked upon, developing a
federation to provide and develop
services collaboratively.
Federations
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key building blocks in developing a federation
deciding on a federation’s legal structure
federation governance
involving patients and the public
engaging the wider primary care workforce
improving quality and safety
education and training
developing and redesigning services
tackling public health issues
sharing back office functions
working with an external partner
Legal Form
• Private company limited by shares (CLS)
• Private company limited by guarantee (CLG)
• Community Interest Company (CIC) limited by shares or guarantee
• Industrial and Provident Society (IPS)
• Charity
• Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
Federations
WHY BOTHER?
Why bother? – RCGP survey
• Strengthening the capacity of practices to develop new services out
of hospital
• To form an entity that can tender for services offered by a future GP
commissioning consortium
• To make efficiency savings/economies of scale, for example in back
office functions or the procurement of practice services
• To improve local service integration across practices and other
providers
• To enhance the capacity of practices to compete with external private
sector companies
• To strengthen clinical governance and improve the quality and safety
of services
• To develop training and education capacity
Why bother?
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Recruitment issues
Retirement issues
Income dropping
High % GP income will not come from GMS/PMS
Need to bid for contracts e.g. LES’s
New GP Contract
Need leads for ‘everything’
CQC requirements
Fragmented community services need focus
Safety in numbers?
Federations
HAVE THEY WORKED SO FAR?
Examples
• Ideological
• Geographical
• Business focussed
Ideological - example
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Federation of St Helens Training Practices
Formed 2007
Share training resources
Induction of staff incl. registrars
Education events
CQC registration
Geographical - example
Out of Hours Providers : StHelens Rota
Opt in borough
High % local GP’s working
Business focussed
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Share staff : PM PN Salaried Gp’s
Share HR resource
Other front or back office functions
Share clinical resource – QOF areas etc
Vehicle for bids for practices
Bids for other services : Sunset West Social
Enterprise , Washington, Tyne and Wear
Research Evidence – Kings Fund and
Nuffield – 10 lessons
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The motivations for practices to federate vary.
Function affects form
Independence from the statutory sector accords longevity.
Involving doctors is relatively easy – it is harder to be more
inclusive.
5. Primary care organisations are good at planning and
developing services within primary care and community
settings
10 lessons continued
6. Primary care organisations are more likely to make
substantive change where they have direct control of budgets
and where there are direct financial incentives for professionals.
7. Clinical leadership and engagement are essential
8. High quality management and infrastructure support is critical
10 lessons continued
9. Primary care organisations increase transaction costs within
local health economies
10. Major service transformation will require highly organised
primary care as a bedrock.
Federations
RISKS OF NOT FEDERATING?
Risks
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Actual sustainability : wage costs, reduced funding…
25% retirement rate in next 5 years urban areas
Succession planning
Continue to attract LES monies
To protect independent contractor status
NHSE Five Year View : Specialist Community Providers
Federations
CONCLUSIONS
Conclusions
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One size doesn’t fit all
One model doesn’t fit all
Federations are part of a journey
What is your journey?
Safety in numbers
Sustainability