What is the challenge your project is going to address and how does it connect to the theme of 'How can we improve across system boundaries?​

As specialists in patient experience working with the NHS North East London ICB for the last five years; and currently delivering Healthwatch Waltham Forest, we are aware of the following challenges (based on analysing over 100,000 comments in our Community Insights System)

• Many people find it hard to get a GP appointment; feedback on booking systems and waiting lists is consistently negative
• People who struggle to access care have less trust in medical professionals, as they feel fobbed off and like their care is “rationed”
• Some patients, especially the elderly, those with low IT literacy/ low awareness of local services may turn to GPs for issues that are social rather than medical
• Access to “Health MOT” type routine checkups are desired by patients; they may decrease pressure on GPs and urgent care services in the long run.

What does your project aim to achieve?

We expect that a series of Health Hub events, organised together with Primary Care Networks, GPs, other health professionals and community partners, will:

• • Release pressure on GP surgeries, by allowing GPs to make more meaningful contacts with patients and address multiple issues within one consultation; and allowing patients to self-manage better;
  • Reduce A&E/ Urgent Treatment Centre attendance as more people are able to access their GP.
  • Improve early detection/ treatment of long term conditions, especially in at-risk and disadvantaged groups
  • Improve patient experience and trust in medical professionals as they feel that GPs are proactively working to help them.

We have already run one such event as a pilot; which has been well received by the community; and there is already indication it could have a lasting impact.

How will the project be delivered?

We will be working with Primary Care Network members and other key community stakeholders. By looking at our data and the data generated by GP services together, we will identify the groups of patients/ population segments most likely to:

• Request GP appointments most often
• Have the highest risks of long-term conditions, especially preventable ones
• Trust medical professional less/ feel not listened to by doctors

Health hub events will target specifically these groups; they will feature full health checks, GP consultations, dentists, vaccines, mental health and community services (such as housing/benefits/ work advice and information about local gym classes etc.)

Impact will be measured using patient experience data and GP practice data, including:

• Number of appointments and DNAs
• Number of patients triaged from Econsult without an appointment
• Number of A&E attendance and 111 calls

Comparisons will be made between patients of the same practice who attended hub events and those who didn’t.

How is your project going to share learning?

We will use the principles of Quality Improvement science to understand the impact of these hub events on GP surgeries and their patients; and the extent to which they can be repeated in Waltham Forest or replicated elsewhere.