Key takeaways
Primary care at the heart of NHS reform
The plan prioritises GP services to improve access and patient outcomes.
Digital tools aim to ease growing pressures
Technology and data integration are central to reducing workload and delays.
Workforce expansion remains a critical challenge
Recruitment and retention strategies will determine the plan’s long-term success.
Over the last few months, we have been fortunate enough to have been working nationally with general practice in pre-emption of the 10-year plan: creating strong voice, governance and contracting structures to enable GPs to influence and lead the direction across Place and Neighbourhood.
Undeniably, the Plan creates both opportunity and risk for general practice in equal measure. General practice is being encouraged to “lean in” and “seize the opportunity” and consider if and/or how it is working together across Neighbourhoods to influence local commissioning decisions.
Whilst the devil will be in the contracting and funding detail to follow, with tight timescales general practice needs to act now. The message from the centre is:
"…the risk comes when people are reluctant to change."
Get in touch now to discuss the Plan and the work we have been doing to support general practice to ready itself to respond to the opportunities and negate the risks.
We have set out below a summary of some of the key contracting and commissioning headlines of the 10-year Plan from the perspective of general practice and neighbourhood working:
From hospital to community: A Neighbourhood Health Service
As expected, the Plan promises greater investment into the community and introduces a “Neighbourhood Health Service,” bringing together integrated teams of GPs, nurses, pharmacists, social care staff etc into local communities in a way that will reflect the needs of local populations.
“Single Neighbourhood Provider” (SNP) and “Multi-Neighbourhood Provider” (MNP) contracts
The Plan introduces 2 new contracts which are set to be implemented early next year. SNPs will deliver enhanced services for groups with similar needs over a single Neighbourhood (c.50,000 patients). The Plan alludes to SNPs working over existing PCN footprints, but does not clarify whether the Network Contract DES as currently structured will continue beyond 31st March 2026 and what this means for existing PCN structures, network agreement schedules, subcontracting arrangements etc.
MNPs will be tasked with delivering care across larger footprints and across Neighbourhoods, supporting 250,000+ people. The Plan cites that this role is played already by GP federations in some areas with excellent results. When read alongside the HSJ article published last week, it is clear that there are concerns that the MNP role (which will be tasked with “taking over” when needed and coaching struggling practices) can instead be held by community, acute and mental health trusts.
Increased autonomy for providers
ICBs will remain responsible for commissioning the best, most appropriate Neighbourhood providers in their footprint, to a diverse range of providers. The Plan promises that where local providers perform well, they will have greater autonomy and flexibility to improve local services “free from central control”. As rumoured, it may be that the MNP has a key role to play in both delivery and the organisation of Neighbourhood services.
Please keep an eye on our website and social media for more detailed analysis of the Plan and what this means for general practice over the coming months. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact our primary care team to discuss next steps.