STPs and accountable care roundup w/c 16 October
Hempsons is pleased to bring you the latest in its series of news updates on STPs and accountable care w/c 16 October.
Consultation on changes in regulations to support development of ACOs
NHS England has published a consultation document to canvass views on changes to regulations required to facilitate the operation of the ACO contract. The development of the ACO contract has identified the need for changes in the regulations to make them applicable to the new contract, and the organisations using it. Most of the changes proposed are intended to ensure that current rules relating to primary care continue to apply where primary care providers operate under an ACO contract or as a sub-contractor to an ACO contract. In addition, changes are proposed:
- To allow GMS/PMS holders to suspend their contracts to participate in a fully integrated ACO, subject to a right of reactivation
- To ensure that new joint venture vehicles set up for ACOs will be subject to NHS Improvement’s licensing regime from the outset
The consultation document also confirms that the DH is continuing to consider whether changes should be made to the section 75 partnership arrangements to facilitate integration.
The consultation closes on 2 November 2017.
Jamie Foster, Partner at Hempsons, explains: ‘These proposals are another step on the road to making accountable care a reality in the NHS. Of particular interest will be the details provided about the much-trailed ‘right to suspend’ GMS/PMS contracts, which is intended to incentivise GPs to participate in ACO models. Integration of primary care with other services is one of the hardest parts of developing an ACO and it remains to be seen whether this will provide the assurance many GPs want to consider fully integrating their services into an ACO model”.
Read more about NHS England’s consultation document.
Accountable care and technology 1: NHS IT strategy
Matthew Swindells, NHS England’s National Director: Operations and Information, who has responsibility for NHS IT Strategy, has produced a helpful blog summarising the deliverables, partners and funding of the strategy. Matthew emphasises the way in which NHS It programmes are now aligned with the Five Year Forward View and Next Steps commitments.
Accountable care and technology 2: Global digital exemplars and fast followers.
Alongside this, NHS England is providing funding and partnership support to selected digitally advanced trusts – Global Digital Examplars. All acute trust exemplars are now partnered with fast followers – trusts who will support the spread of best practice and innovation. Mental health Global Digital Exemplars will also partner with fast followers over the next year. Fast followers are supported by NHS England funding, matched locally, and will enable Global Digital Exemplars to establish proven models that can be rolled out across the NHS more broadly. In some cases, this will be sharing software or a common IT team. Others will adopt standard methodologies and processes. In a separate but parallel funding stream, 12 trusts using DXC Technologies’ Lorenzo EPR system are participating in a new “Lorenzo digital exemplar programme”.
Accountable care and technology 3: New report shows how new care models are harnessing technologies
A new report from NHS Providers, NHS Confederation, NHS Clinical Commissioners and the Local Government Association, New care models: harnessing technology, explores how five vanguards are implementing innovative digital technology solutions at the heart of a new approach to care. They are:
- East and North Hertfordshire
- Better Care Together Morecambe Bay
- Better Together Mid Nottinghamshire
- Salford Together
- East Midlands Radiology Consortium
The report demonstrates that it is possible to overcome the many challenges to adopting digital technology in health and care, and use it to enable more efficient, integrated, precise and personalised care.
The NICE way of supporting STPs
Little has been heard of the role of NICE in developing STPs and accountable care models. However, in a useful piece, Nicola Bent, Programme Director of System Engagement at NICE, has described on the NHE website now NICE is helping with the development of STPs at a local level. This includes development of a tailored package of support to help each STP progress their work, including how NICE guidance, advice and quality standards can be implemented in STP plans.