Transition arrangements and timescales

The following describes the significant transition arrangements arising from the release of version 5 of the Operating Model. More detailed transition actions are given against individual capabilities documented in Appendix A.

Topic Transition action Timescale
Changes to GP IT enabling requirements Where the requirements have changed since the previous Operating Model (2019 V4). Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) should agree a plan with their commissioned GP IT Delivery Partner for these changes to be effective in the services provided within the NHS financial year during which the Operating Model is published, unless otherwise specified against that individual requirement for example where there is an urgency or time pressure for the change to be effective. Within financial year of operating model publication
Resilience and practice business continuity plans CBs must review all practice BCPs with particular reference to COVID-19 lessons learned. By 31 July 2022
GP telephony GP Telephony remains a practice business responsibility. CCGs should encourage, practices to migrate to an Advanced GP Telephony solution and provide technical advice, for example on network infrastructure. From April 2021
Remote working CCGs must review all supported remote working solutions, with particular reference to temporary arrangements deployed during the COIVD-19 Response period. Any temporary arrangements which do not meet the standards described in this Operating Model must be decommissioned by 31 August 2022. By 31 August 2022
Local clinical servers Local Hosting of GP Clinical Systems is not supported after 31 March 2021. CCGs must ensure any legacy/residual clinical system servers for local hosting are identified and decommissioned by 31 August 2022. By 31 August 2022
Microsoft Office 365 for the NHS Participating CCGs must fully implement all elements of Microsoft Office 365 for the NHS required for general practices by no later than 13 October 2021 in accordance with the Microsoft Office 365 for the NHS Participation Agreement. The agreement will then run until 30 April 2023. By 13 October 2021
Microsoft Office 365 for the NHS CCGs should start planning for the impact on Office application use in practices after 30 April 2023 when the current NHS participation Agreement ends. These plans should reflect NHS policy and guidance as it becomes available. By 31 July 2022
Cyber essentials Commissioned GP IT provider organisation(s) will be accredited to Cyber Essentials Plus (CE+)
Online and video consultation systems CCGs are expected to have local contracts in place for online consultation systems and video consultation systems. By 1 April 2021
SMS and prescribing Where SMS (or other digital messaging) is used to replace paper tokens for non-nominated prescriptions these must comply with the approved digital token definition

SMS (or other digital messaging) will also support secure written communications between patients, carers and the practice.

By 1 April 2021
NHS smartcards Deprecation of old NHS Smartcards: To remove all series, 3, 4, 5 and 6 NHS Smartcards By March 2023
PCN enhanced access CCGs will work with PCNs and practices in the development of their proposed Enhanced Access Plans. This should include identifying areas in the existing digital infrastructure and systems (including telephony) which will require development and/or investment. By 31 July 2022

Guidance contents

Download a PDF copy of ‘Securing Excellence in Primary Care (GP) Digital Services: The Primary Care (GP) Digital Services Operating Model 2021-2023’