09 December 2021
As part of developing the Jersey Care Model (JCM) Jersey's GPs have been working with Health and Community Services throughout 2021 and will continue to do so, to start changing the ways in which care for Islanders will be delivered.
HCS has agreed an investment of £1 million in Primary Care as part of the Jersey Care Model programme.
Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Richard Renouf said: "GPs are a critical component and enabler of the Jersey Care Model. There is clear evidence that GPs have provided high levels of primary care activity this year to ensure that Hospital services are protected so that all available capacity is utilised for Covid recovery plans. The outcomes delivered in 2021 by GPs are an excellent baseline for continued delivery of the Jersey Care Model in the future.
Caroline Landon, Director General of Health and Community Services, added: "We have seen considerable pressure placed upon all health and care providers in Jersey over the past 18 months. Many of these pressures have impacted upon Out of Hospital services, and most notably the Island's valued GP Primary Care services.
"Despite challenges within the Primary Care/GP workforce, GP colleagues have delivered high quality services with timely access for patients which has delivered the anticipated positive impact on secondary care. This joint working with Primary Care which commenced when GPs stepped up at the start of the pandemic to staff our Urgent Treatment Centre has continued throughout 2021 as GP colleagues have worked alongside HCS to start the transformation of our Healthcare system so that the care we deliver for Islanders is centred on their need and is driven by quality and outcomes.
James Mair, of the Primary Care Body, said: "This investment is welcome news for GPs in Jersey as we look to the future. GP colleagues have worked tirelessly throughout 2021 to continue to deliver expert, personal care for their patients. We are pleased that the future work we will do, and the significant contribution which GPs make has been acknowledged in this way, as well as the part they are playing and will continue to play in the Jersey Care Model, which is based around community care being accessible to all Islanders. Primary Care is central to the Jersey Care Model, and GPs want to continue developing even stronger Primary Care."
Health and Community Services will continue to work with the Primary Care Body, wider GP partners and other health and social care providers across the Island on the ongoing Jersey Care Model plans and outputs for 2022.
The Jersey Care Model is currently in Tranche 1 phase of delivery which aims to set the foundations of the programme for the future.
Data gathered in 2021 shows that:
- Up to August 2021 there has been less than 3% year on year growth of attendances at the Emergency Department at the Jersey General Hospital. While ED activity is impacted by the Pandemic, it is clear that Primary Care and particularly GP services have managed to sustain good levels of access for patients and this is having a positive impact on the General Hospital.
- In Mental Health while we have seen an increase in activity across all services, the rate of Mental Health Law application and admissions to the inpatient unit remains within benchmarked levels. This indicates that a great deal of care activity is taking place within GP Primary Care services. This is also demonstrated by the relatively static level of secondary care community caseload which has seen a slight reduction in growth in 2021.
- Inpatient Medical Bed capacity at the General Hospital has remained below the 85% occupancy standard expected and the overall bed base remains static. This contrasts strongly with the UK position and it is clear that both in and Out Of Hospital services are working well to ensure care is providing in the right setting. This position is a result of GP's maintaining high levels of activity for patients in out of hospital care with chronic conditions that sit outside the Jersey Quality Improvement Framework contract.
Joint work is required to further determine clinical and care pathways which in turn will demonstrate where care is best provided and what services on the clinical pathways transfer to Primary Care.
As joint working continues, both HCS and GP partners will continue to focus on:
- Pathway development building on the future commissioning arrangements
- Developing monthly activity monitoring dashboards building on the 2021 baseline delivery
- We will ensure there is ongoing GP involvement in all community and intermediate care projects building on the 2021 achievements
The outcomes will inform the implementation of the Jersey Care Model beyond Tranche 1.
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