We provide the NHS urgent out of hours health care services in Mid Essex, Dudley Borough, Herefordshire, Birmingham and the Black Country, Leicestershire, Middlesbrough, Scarborough, Rotherham, Sheffield, Barnsley, Cleveland and Easington in England and the Vale of Glamorgan, Neath / Port Talbot, Bridgend, Carmarthenshire and the South of Powys in Wales.
We are one of the best performing out of hours service providers in the country, according to the Health Care Commission, who rated all urgent care services in 2008. Their findings demonstrate that 80% of the Primary Care Trusts who commission Primecare, perform in the ‘better’ or ‘best’ performing cohorts for the key urgent care indicators. For more information view the PCT reports at www.cqc.org.uk/publications.cfm
Cardiff University have recently conducted an evaluation in Wales looking at the experience of patients and carers who have used the out of hours urgent care services. Primecare scored well in terms of patient satisfaction. Our services cost among the lowest per head of population, meaning that as well as offering high quality services we can also demonstrate cost-effectiveness.
Single point of access
As part of our ongoing commitment to providing seamless services, we are now the first point of contact for adult social care calls out of hours in Walsall and Herefordshire.
Integrated urgent care
We have developed a range of options with PCTs and Local Health Boards to ensure patients can access the right service at the right time and minimise the inappropriate use of secondary care. Primecare services in many cases are co located in A&E/urgent care centres. We also support the provision of staff in walk and urgent care centres developed by PCTs and Acute Trusts.
Admissions avoidance
We are supporting the Penarth Integrated Care Team (PICT) on a pilot admissions avoidance team in the Vale of Glamorgan.
Support for British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS)
Primecare provides two support services to BPAS. Our advisors staff a 24 hour action line for people considering termination of pregnancy who want to book an appointment with BPAS. We also provide a 24 hour after care telephone service for people who have had a termination of pregnancy.
Birmingham & Black Country Referral Centres
Primecare provides staff for the referral centres in Birmingham & Black Country that act as overflow clinics to ensure patients can see a GP as quickly as possible.
Working with the ambulance service
At times of high demand, Primecare supports ambulance services by taking CAT C referrals for people who could be more appropriately cared for in primary care.
Breast screening
We have worked closely with a PCT to increase the uptake of scheduled mammography appointments by pro-actively telephoning or visiting patients during the evenings and weekends.
In hours GP support
Primecare runs daily GP ward rounds and 24 hour GP support to PCT community rehabilitation facilities.
Special Allocation Schemes (SAS)
The scheme protects GPs and their staff by caring for individuals removed from practice lists. Working in partnership with primary care organisations and GP practices, Primecare provides a vital secure service to deliver general medical services to sometimes violent patients, consistent with responsibilities placed on PCOs by the Department of Health.