A Scottish LMC has started a reporting system ‘to monitor’ pressures at GP practices in its area.
Glasgow LMC said that since December it has been sending out a weekly one-question survey to practices asking them to report on the level of pressure experienced by their staff over the previous week.
It follows a similar initiative in England where LMCs have been leading the development of the General Practice Alert State (GPAS) with the aim of escalating ‘black status’ reports to NHS leaders.
This would be equivalent to OPEL level 4 in hospitals – a situation when pressure means organisations are unable to deliver comprehensive care and patient safety may be compromised.
As part of this, Devon LMC sends out a weekly national map showing pressures reported anonymously by GP practices using GPAS, with the latest showing most areas have reported an OPEL level 3.
In Glasgow, practices are also asked to submit their response anonymously and are able to see other board-wide responses received by the LMC.
The LMC said: ‘We are aware that many practices are experiencing significant workload demand and practice pressures.
‘We believe it is essential to be able to monitor the situation in general practice in GGC and to be able to use this information in discussions both locally and nationally.
‘We are very pleased with the strong response and intend to continue this survey for the foreseeable future.’
Recently the RCGP has called for a similar patient safety alert system to be introduced in general practice, with practices supported with overflow hubs and additional locums.
RCGP chair Professor Kamila Hawthorne said she wants to see a system introduced in every ICS, ‘modelled on the OPEL Framework’ already used by hospitals.
NHS England is working towards incorporating general practice in the OPEL system pressures framework over the next year, as Pulse reported exclusively in July.
Earlier this year, Pulse also revealed exclusively that GP practices in Kent could receive additional support from the ICB thanks to GPAS, with the commissioner being expected to run a trial ‘in the near future’ with the LMC, to support practices using the system and declaring any state beyond ‘green’.
Meanwhile, GPs in other areas in England where GPAS has been implemented have told Pulse it does not seem to work as expected, with no changes being implemented as a result of declaring a ‘black alert’ and some practices being reluctant to report they are struggling because of a lack of support.
