GP practices incorporated in NHSE’s OPEL framework in one area

Cornish GP practices have now been included in NHS England’s OPEL framework, in a move that the local LMC hopes will ‘raise the profile’ of pressures in general practice.

Last year, Pulse revealed exclusively that NHS England is currently working towards incorporating general practice in the system used by hospitals to report when they are under pressure.

Now Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB has confirmed to Pulse that it has implemented an OPEL status process for general practice as of part data requirements from NHS England, and that practices are invited to report this once a week via their LMC.

In an update to members, Kernow LMC said that the GP OPEL status would be included on the NHS England ‘dashboard of data’ (via SHREWD), sitting alongside the OPEL information for all other providers across Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and into Devon.

It added that this does not involve ‘any cunning move’ by commissioners but that the LMC hopes ‘it will continue to raise the profile’ of pressures in GP practices, and ‘unlock further support’.

It said: ‘Although SHREWD is unfortunately named, the LMC has no concern that this involves any cunning move in the share of data at this level – we hope it will continue to raise the profile of your situation.

‘ICB colleagues have promised to write out to you about this; ahead of this, we wanted to let you know that we feel sharing at this level will be a positive move and it is to be hoped increased recognition will unlock further system support.’

A spokesperson for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB told Pulse: ‘This enables our GP practices to report when they are experiencing capacity issues and what pressures they are experiencing.

‘This in turn enables the ICB to consider what forms of support can be offered to those practices and in the context of our wider services across the area.’

Pulse has asked NHS England if other areas have implemented the system so far, but the commissioner failed to respond.

In Kent, the ICB agreed to allow GP practices overwhelmed with demand to close and divert patients if they declare an OPEL black alert.

This is part of a pilot of the response framework, developed by the ICB with Kent LMC, which allows practices to self-declare their OPEL status based on their workload.

This is separate from General Practice Alert State (GPAS), through which practices around the country have been declaring increasing pressures weekly using ‘green’, ‘amber’, ‘red’ or ‘black’ status, but which GPs have criticised as being of ‘very little value’.

Devon LMC, which pioneered GPAS, agreed a pilot with the ICS to assess how to respond when practices are under ‘severe’, ‘extreme’ or ‘intolerable’ pressure.

Measures considered in Devon included suspension of routine appointments and reviews, a shift to telephone triage, remote consultations for most primary care, suspension of non-core work and QOF and closure of some practices with care delivered through additional capacity at shared hubs.

The RCGP has also called for a patient safety alert system to be introduced in general practice, asking for practices to be supported with overflow hubs and additional locums.