Implementing new Equitable Access GP Practices
Having assisted a variety of clients with the health planning aspects of Equitable Access bids (for more information, click here), a number have asked us to continue to support them as the new practices are opened to the public.

Our involvement is normally in 7 key areas:
  1. Marketing
  2. GP and nurse recruitment
  3. Financial management
  4. Contract negotiations with the PCT
  5. Premises
  6. Risk analysis
  7. Maximising contract income, including meeting contract and quality obligations.

Acton Shapiro has several consultants who have been involved in the front line management of GP practices.  This practical experience, along with an in-depth understanding of contracting mechanisms and examples of best practice from around the country, means that we can be a very valuable resource for our clients.

Our involvement can be on a call-off basis with a particular activity, such as helping to recruit doctors, nurses and other staff, or for all the activities listed above.  We have, for example, designed a practice’s corporate identity, built a practice website (such as www.therlc.co.uk), designed posters to advertise that the new practice is opening, helped to negotiate a lease and advised on financial matters.  It is important to remember that an APMS contract is very different from a traditional GMS or PMS contract and making an error in how it is set up can be a very expensive mistake.

As a result of this work we have built up a significant number of management tools which are very useful for those setting up new Equitable Access GP practices.  We also have available all the essential paperwork required by PCTs who commission a new service.  This includes a full range of selection and recruitment materials, policy and procedure documents to meet the requirements of Standards for Better Health and databases to manage budgets and ensure that the optimal speed of registering new patients is maintained.

Another key area of support for clients is our ability to help to identify key risks – both service, operational and financial.  For example, relatively small changes in contract performance can result in significant impact on profitability – and losses.  We have a number of in-house tools that can assist you in this area.