Clinical and non-clinical professionals in primary care are increasingly working together in new, different and innovative ways. Pharmacists, physiotherapists, social prescribers and paramedics are just some of the roles where much more integrated working will be seen over the next few years.
Collaborative General Practice provides an opportunity to support this newer way of working within General Practice, primary care and across the wider health, social care and voluntary sector teams working to improve patient care.
Supporting primary care teams to build relationships, understand the challenges and successes and share learning will be crucial as we move to a more community-based model of care. Using a person-centred approach to make sure care is holistic whilst also being supported by population health data will be central to improving outcomes for patients and carers.
Collaborative General Practice aims to support GPs and other professionals navigate through the development of how we work together across practices, communities and levels of care including primary, secondary and tertiary care. Making sure that the need for evaluation and creating standards (e.g. definitions, core competencies, qualitative experiences) is understood and appreciated.
Collaborative General Practice, whether as Primary Care Networks, Clusters, Federations, Super-Partnerships, Quality Clusters or other collaborative organisations, offers an opportunity for connection, inclusivity, inspiration and creativity in the development of a connected approach to improving the lives and journeys of patients, colleagues and communities.
Progressing in a rapidly changing UK landscape
Throughout the country a more collaborative approach to ways of working across primary care is being introduced quickly and place-based teams are being asked to be respond and make significant changes over a short period of time. Collaboration within multidisciplinary teams and across different organisations can feel challenging and it is helpful to have a framework for delivering high-quality primary care.
Ten key building blocks of high-quality primary care
Collaborative General Practice aims to support the development of a coordinated and joined up approach to care for patients by focusing on the ten key building blocks of high-quality primary care:
- Leadership and vision (goals and objectives)
- Data infrastructure and utilisation
- Matching resources to the population need and continual review process
- Team based care model
- Person centred care
- Population health management
- Continuity of care
- Flexibility of care provision
- Network of comprehensive care
- Creating the future of care
Collaborative working is based upon groups of people working together in a network. The strength of this network relies on the connections and relationships across individuals and teams and this forms the foundations of collaborative working. These foundations need to be supported by strong to enable a sustainable healthcare system that meets people’s needs.
To support your iterative development, consider the key seven pillars of your network