May 2020
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference is examining the implementation and impact of the Primary Care Model for Wales - a key element of the Transformation Programme in Wales.
The agenda:
- Supporting and developing the Welsh primary care workforce and the first Health and Social Care Workforce Strategy
- Building primary care teams that deliver
- Implementing the new model - creating a wellness system, local coordination, and accessibility
- Key issues for developing in-hours delivery and out-of-hours primary care - sustainability, access and support
- Improving outcomes in primary care - reducing the impact of poor health and tackling inequalities
COVID-19:
Of course we expect discussion to reflect the impact of the pandemic on primary care in Wales:
- support - what more may be needed into the future for primary care services and service users - particularly those in vulnerable groups
- resilience and planning - how primary care will need to develop in the wake of the pandemic
- learning for the future - opportunities to carry forward innovation in practice and delivery adopted during the crisis, such as in the use of digital technology and enhanced collaboration in GP clusters
A scan of relevant background and developments:
- funding - the Welsh Government announcing an £800m stabilisation package for Welsh NHS - aimed at preparing for a potential second wave of COVID-19 and normal winter pressures, supporting PPE for workers and a flu campaign, and producing faster test results
- COVID-19 testing strategy - the Welsh Government’s recently published testing strategy and reported securing a deal to buy 12 minute Covid-19 testing kits, looking ahead to the winter, prioritising contact tracing, testing, protecting vulnerable groups and communities, and developing understanding of the virus
- Community Pharmacy Funding 2020-21 - aiming to improve the availability of prescribing pharmacists, further integrate community pharmacy with primary care, and increase use of technology
- A Healthier Wales - and the initiation of the Transformation Programme to implement this vision
- the Transformation Fund - and its awards to Regional Partnership Boards to deliver innovative projects across Wales, including within primary care or to reduce pressure on primary care services
- the Health and Social Care Workforce Strategy - from Health Education and Improvement Wales and Social Care Wales, setting out aims and actions for developing the current and future workforce
The discussion in detail:
Prevention
- developments - latest work from key organisations such as Public Health Wales health
- inequalities - tackling them across communities in Wales
- improving outcomes - sharing best practice across clusters, whilst taking into account differing clinical priorities
The new Primary Care Model for Wales
- stakeholder engagement - improving awareness and understanding of the Model for all sectors in health and social care, key partners and the wider public
Local and community projects
- progress - as Wales aims to move towards a wellness system
- prevention - anticipating and meeting health needs, and focusing on early detection of illness
- community-based care - work to bring services from hospitals closer to home
- joined-up care - ensuring that local health and social care services coordinate effectively, including in providing a seamless overall service for patients and service users
- the wellness system - how it is working for key demographics
- the social prescribing - the potential contribution of community projects, for example in reducing loneliness and isolation
The primary care workforce
- support and development - assessing progress and what is needed going forward
- the multi-disciplinary team approach - its adoption, informed by projects from the Pacesetters Programme
- the first Health and Social Care Workforce Strategy - looking at potential opportunities and challenges
- keynote contribution - Alex Howells, Chief Executive of Health Education and Improvement Wales, which is leading the Strategy alongside Social Care Wales
In- and out-of-hours delivery
- in-hours delivery - improving access and developing its sustainability
- out-of-hours primary care - priorities, and recent developments such as the introduction of ambulance service prescribing paramedics
- mental health services and organisation - the impact of primary care reform, for example on local suicide prevention plans
COVID-19 and primary care in Wales
- tackling health inequalities - in light of significant differences in outcomes for those diagnosed with COVID-19
- the risk assessment tool - launched to support BAME health and social care workers and reduce their risk of contracting COVID-19 at the workplace
- keynote contribution - Professor Keshav Singhal, Chair, All Wales COVID-19 Workforce Risk Assessment Tool, BAME Advisory Group
- safety - adapting primary care provision to protect staff, patients and service users, and encouraging the public to access services
- mental wellbeing - assessing the impact of social distancing, isolation and other strategies on the mental health of the public and health and care staff
- technology - looking at new support such as the Consultant Connect service and the extent to which it improves the effectiveness of care and reduces pressure on secondary care
- staffing pressures - the impact of self-isolating and sick leave
- alleviating primary care pressure - the contribution of integrated care, Regional Partnership Boards and community services
- service recovery - safely and consistently accommodating urgent primary care, and the process of resuming primary care provision
Policy officials attending:
Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders.
This conference looks no different. Places have been reserved by officials representing the Welsh Government; the Senedd; the Healthcare Inspectorate Wales; and DHSC.
This is a full-scale conference taking place online***
- full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording to refer back to
- information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
- conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
- speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
- opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
- a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
- delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
- networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!
Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference
