Blofield Surgery is part of the Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group.
The group work together to make sure that the best possible healthcare is available for the people of Norfolk and Waveney. This is done through a system called Practice Based Commissioning (PBC), which is a national idea to give family doctors more say in how NHS resources are used.
More information about practice-based commissioning is available on the NHS Norfolk website at http://www.norfolk-pct.nhs.uk/practice-based-commissioning
The consortium website address is norfolkandwaveneyccg.nhs.uk
Referral Management Service
In July 2010 North Norfolk Clinical Commissioning Group (NN CCG) set up a Community Interest Company (CIC) called North Norfolk Healthcare (NNH) as a not-for-profit organisation to help improve the quality of care for patients in North Norfolk. The first objective for NNH was to establish a new Referral Management Centre (RMC) on the Kelling Hospital site near Holt. The Referral Management Centre is now known as the Referral Management Service (RMS), based at Norwich Research Park. The RMS is used to progress hospital outpatient referrals electronically. Whenever possible, patients receive a personal phone call from a Patient Care Advisor at the RMS to book their appointment at a time convenient to them using the national Choose and Book system.
Doctors at the RMS review all the referrals and collect useful information to help improve the way local healthcare services are provided. This is the first time that referral information from all North Norfolk practices has been available in one place, and provides an essential tool to help NN CCG with planning and commissioning local healthcare services for the future.
Commissioning Activity
Commissioning planning continues although the Bill has not yet been passed.
Our group is looking at budgets for 2012.2013 and considering clinical areas for review.
Ongoing Work
24 Hour ECG
Practices within the consortium have a 24 Hour ECG machine and are able to offer this monitoring service that would previously have necessitated two hospital appointments, one to have the machine fitted and one to have the machine removed. It is more convenient for patients as well as saving money for the NHS.
DVT testing
We continue to offer DVT testing for appropriate patients again offering convenience and saving hospital appointments.
Case Managers
Practices have access to a Case Manager whose role is to look at (generally) older patients with chronic diseases who have attended A&E frequently over the past few months. Doctors and the Community team can make referrals.
If the patient meets the criteria the Case Manager will look at their care on a holistic basis to see what may be able to be done to enable the patient to remain at home and to avoid future A&E attendances.