Appendix H – General practice quick reference
The following may be helpful as quick reference links for general practices wishing to understand where and how this document can assist them. The full document contains much more detail and should be consulted as appropriate.
About the operating model
- Defining which organisations and services are in the scope of the Operating Model including PCNs.
- The role of the CCG Practice Agreement (and data processing agreements).
- What service availability (hours) a practice can expect and how are High Severity Incidents managed. Business Continuity Planning requirements.
- Supporting practice sub-contracting of services and requests for direct funding.
- A table summarising responsibilities and accountabilities.
- Transition arrangements: a table showing what actions a CCG needs to take and the timescales to implement the new changes in the Operating Model.
Procuring services
- Accreditation, choice and selection of systems and services
- Advice on practice direct procurements and a local procurement checklist
- Support for GP Telephony procurement including a template specification
- Using the NHS Digital Care Services Catalogue including the GP IT Futures Framework and the Online Consultation Video Consultation (DFOCVC) Framework
Requirements
How the digital requirements for general practice are classified for example what are the “must dos”, what are locally determined and what are practice responsibilities. Details of each of these requirements is provided as:
- Core and mandated (Must do) requirements for – clinical systems, nationally provided digital services, patient facing systems, and locally commissioned GP IT Enabling services. The latter includes Commissioning GP IT, GP IT Service Desk, Equipment Asset Management, Software Licence Management, Registration Authority (smartcards), NHS Mail Administration, Essential Infrastructure (for example networking and data hosting), HSCN, WiFi, Desktop Infrastructure, Remote Access (incl home), Electronic Messaging (for example SMS), Controlled Digital Environment, Cyber Security, Information Governance, Clinical Safety Assurance, Procurement Support, Contract Support, Estates, Clinical System Training, Data Quality Support, Project Management, Local Digital Strategy, National Digital Services.
- Enhanced Requirements – locally determined subject to affordability. These are often enablers for efficiency and transformation.
- General Practice business systems – these are practices responsibility to choose, procure and fund. These include practice websites, telephony, dispensing practices (systems and IT), business systems for example payroll and accounting systems, estate related for example power, comms rooms, air conditioning, IT consumables, practice legal and regulatory responsibilities for example Health and Safety regulations compliance.
Guidance contents
- Foreword
- Executive summary
- Introduction
- The CCG practice agreement
- Requirements and capabilities
- Funding
- Commissioning, procurement and contract management
- Assurance
- Addressing the challenges
- Transition arrangements and timescales
- Appendix A – Schedule of GP digital requirements and capabilities
- Appendix B – Responsibilities and accountabilities
- Appendix C – Applicable national frameworks
- Appendix D – Digital primary care maturity assurance tool indicators
- Appendix E – Commissioning GP IT enabling services
- Appendix F – Commissioning advanced GP telephony services
- Appendix G – Procurement checklist
- Appendix H – General practice quick reference
- Appendix I – Glossary of terms