What’s been happening in general practice

It’s an incredibly busy time for general practice and continues to be. We’ve summarised some of the key activities for easy reference.

Contracting and finances

• We published the Primary care system development funding (SDF) and GPIT funding guidance: analysis of programmes and funding in 2021/22. This guidance outlines all the funds available to primary care via regions, systems and CCGs, including workforce growth and development, technology and practice and PCN resilience and development. This large and vital investment in primary care will help to support general practice both now, as the onus shifts to recovery, and in the future.
• Changes to Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF) for 2021/22 and updated version of the QOF guidance is also available.

For all the latest contract guidance please visit our GP contract web page.

Growing and supporting our workforce

In August 2020 we shared a letter about the need to expand the primary care workforce, with a reminder for all primary care networks to plan to take full advantage of their guaranteed funding. Recruiting to the primary care workforce continues to be a key priority.

The Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) has an online portal which provides a more effective and simple way for PCNs to claim, and CCGs to approve, reimbursement for the roles hired.

A number of schemes are also available to help support and sustain the general practice workforce:

• Primary care flexible staff pools (guidance updated for 21/22)
• New to Partnership Payment Scheme
• General Practice Fellowship programme
• Supporting Mentors Scheme

We have continued to promote the confidential #LookingAfterYouToo – coaching support which is available to all primary care staff. An offer for managers and leaders #LookingAfterYourTeam is also available for bookings.

We launched the Primary Care Network (PCN) Dashboard. To access the dashboard, please register here. The dashboard is refreshed when new data sources are updated providing a consistent and current view. It’s accessible to all PCNs and generates shared and comparable views across the country.

COVID updates

COVID-19 vaccine

We have written to practices and primary care networks to update on:

• Changes to the provision of routine vaccination and immunisation in general practice from 1 April 2021

We have set up a dedicated space for the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme on our FutureNHS workspace where you can access the recordings and slides from past webinars, ask any further questions and get access to key information.