Lanarkshire’s GP practices are being invited to register to undergo the local delivery of the Primary Care Access Programme (PCAP) in order to address the challenges patients and practices can face around access. PCAP supports primary care teams to identify the root cause of access issues, prioritise changes and use quality improvement methodology to embed changes to improve access.
Over a 7-week sprint period Lanarkshire’s Primary Care Improvement Team (PCIT) will deliver PCAP which has been developed by Healthcare Improvement Scotland, beginning on Tuesday 6 February 2023. The PCIT Improvement Advisors will work with primary care teams to focus on one aspect of access challenges within their practice, providing the Programme’s coaching support, data tools, analysis and quality improvement approaches as well as facilitating peer discussion and shared learning to implement successful change strategies.
Six practices across Lanarkshire have already completed PCAP, addressing key local challenges that included 44% of calls not requiring a GP appointment and 13 hours of calls per week being received for non-clinical and non-appointment related matters. Change ideas have resulted in patients using digital channels to access non-urgent, non-clinical care, thus freeing up practice staff time to triage urgent appointments.
If you would like to know more or register your interest in PCAP please email LanPCIT@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
