Agenda item

To receive the report of the Deputy Director Contracting, NHS North East London, Part of North East London Health and Care Partnership. 

Members noted that though the eRS system (available as a web-based system) is linked to GP and hospital systems it is not linked to the NHS app, and that it is cumbersome to check waiting times and success rates between different providers and that there is no comparison tool for that purpose. The Committee noted the wider IT problems around NHS services that precluded the provision of any kind of integrated coherent services, noting also the initiatives being rolled out for patients that are unaware of how to access services, as well as those that are digitally excluded.   

A Member asked for further information on the success of the patient choice promotion initiatives and how complaints were managed. The meeting heard that an independent sector provider would be sought for treatment where appropriate and that patients would be informed of their right to choose as part of a national information roll-out expected shortly.  

In response to a question on the extent of the confidence that patients were aware of their rights and the complaints process and whether GPs were encouraged to make that information available, the meeting heard that complaints information was available on all websites, and that complaints were received and responded to as required by NHS England and that GPs were encouraged to offer patient choice. 

In response to a question on whether there were any cost implications to GPs around making a request to direct patients to specific hospitals. The meeting noted that a set of national prices was implemented for services, with an additional premium for a more costly area (that includes central London) that was not incurred by the GP.  In response to whether a patient could choose a specific provider for a particular procedure, the meeting heard that provided any Integrated Care Board had a contract with that provider at the relevant site for that service, then the patient could exercise that right with the assistance of the GP, the Committee also noting that most  patients were unlikely to be aware of that right.   

In response to a question on patient choice around scans and diagnostics, the Committee noted that such procedures are not covered by any legal right to patient choice and are generally not covered by primary care provisions.