06.12.12
Improvements necessary for London’s primary care
There is significant variation in the quality of primary care in London, a new report shows. Research by The King’s Fund and Imperial College London, commissioned by NHS London, provides recommendations for general practice to improve care in the capital.
There are wide inequalities in London, with life expectancy varying by up to nine years in some areas, and some practices are operating in premises that are not fit for purpose.
The GP workforce is also older than elsewhere, with a quarter aged over 60. Almost 20% of practices are operated by a single GP, compared with just 13.8% across the rest of England, which could limit what the practice can offer patients.
The new report suggests that major changes to organisation and delivery of primary care are needed. GPs could work more closely with hospitals, community services and social care to improve coordination of care.
GPs and commissioners must also make better use of data to understand and act on local variations in performance and move more quickly towards different models of service provision, such as operating in federations or networks.
Anna Dixon, director of policy at The King's Fund, said: “While there are some excellent general practices in London, the quality of care that Londoners receive is not as consistently good as it could be. There is huge potential to make better use of information and data to understand and address variations in performance. I hope this report will encourage GPs to engage in a discussion about how to lead a transformation in general practice to ensure all Londoners enjoy the best possible health care.”
Dr Tom Coffey, assistant medical director at NHS London and a GP, said: “The King’s Fund report recognises the excellent service offered by GPs across the capital but calls upon us to consider the transformation of primary health care in London, taking into account the changing population and varied, increasing demands. This comes at a pivotal time as Clinical Commissioning Groups plan for the future; using it as a basis to identify and develop strategic local change to improve the service communities receive.”
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