Siobhan Cambridge (NHS Devon CCG), Dr Steve Harris (Clinical Lead for Primary Care Devon), Jo Turl (NHS Devon CCG) were present for this item and provided an update to the Board.  It was highlighted that:

·       it has been a very challenging 18 months with far fewer patients seen face to face and more critically the demand for primary care significantly increasing;

·       they were currently offering a combination of face to face, home visits, virtual consultations and eConsult;

·       they were continuing to develop and improve eConsult to be more accessible and to address the issues where needs were not being met;

·       telephone consultations have been effective but some patients would still need to be seen face to face;

·       majority of patients have been satisfied with access to primary care;

·       they were working with the Local Medical Committee to gather data on the volumes of appointments and demand on primary care;

·       they were working more closely with partners to address these issues and for scrutiny to look at this in more detail;

·       Thanks was given to staff who work within primary care for their continued hard work over the last 18 months.

Questions from the Board related to:

·       the Mayflower Group and to be reassured that the issues were being addressed;

·       the elderly population being unable to access services and cannot cope with virtual or eConsult;

·       whether the figures within the survey were reflective on Plymouth regarding on-line consultations:

·       whether GP receptions were open or whether patients had to ring to make an appointment?

·       the focus group and how this group was represented;

·       fully understand the challenges but hundreds of people were struggling to book a face to face and/or follow up appointment.  People lie on eConsult just to see the GP and eConsult problems have existed more than 18 months ago.

·       what were the timescales for improving eConsult?

·       when would chronic management clinics be delivered at full scale?;

·       A suggestion was put forward that part of this board’s role was to make this service better and that a refresh of the Plymouth Prospectus and the responsibility of everybody to make Plymouth a more attractive place to live and work.  There was a need to attract GPs to this city.

The Board agreed to –

1.      Note the report.

2.      Refer the issue of GP access to the Plymouth Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee as the statutory body responsible for the scrutiny of health services in the local authority area.

3.      Request that the scrutiny committee consider a joint scrutiny approach with Torbay and Devon Local Authorities and make recommendations to relevant bodies.  Such an approach should include, but not be limited to –

·       A review of the available primary care delivery models, to include national and international exemplars;

·       A review of the impact of the pandemic response to traditional models of Primary Care delivery;

·       The differing requirements of urban and rural communities;

·       A review of the impact of Primary Care Networks and the identification of where further development / support / funding may be required.

The Board also agreed that:

4.      A Part 11 Paper on the Mayflower Group to be shared with the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Ward Councillors.