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Set your service setting correctly

Updated guidance on service setting to help identify delivery of enhanced access appointments. Please review and update your service settings to reflect changes.

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The service setting describes the provision of care in which the appointment was delivered. As a service, you will deliver appointments that are contracted by general practice, primary care network, extended access provision or other.

It is important that this is reflected in your data and dashboards.

ARTICLE

GP Appointments Data Dashboard

Find out about the GP Appointments Data Dashboard (GPAD), including information on the purpose of the dashboard, how to access it and the data included.

The focus is to help identify enhanced access appointments. Enhanced access appointments are commissioned by primary care networks (PCNs) during evenings and weekends. 

With the introduction of PCN delivery of enhanced access provision from 1 October 2022 there are several clarifications to the guidance section on service setting.

  1. Service setting 1 (General Practice) and 4 (Other) remain unchanged, so practice and PCN hubs should continue to use these in the same way.
  2. Service setting 2 (Primary Care Network) and 3 (Extended Access Provision) have been changed in terms of definition and additional clarification how these settings are to be used.

Service setting 2 (Primary Care Network) must be used for:

  • all appointments delivered either in practice or at a local PCN hub by staff employed or engaged under the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) scheme working in core hours
  • all other appointments that are funded by the Network Contract Directed Enhanced Services (DES)

The only exception to this is for enhanced access appointments that are commissioned by the PCN, including ARRS sessions in the enhanced access period. For these appointments service setting 3 'Extended Access Provision' should be used. 

Service setting 3 (Extended Access Provision) now refers to all Enhanced Access provision commissioned by PCNs.

Since the changes came into effect on 1 October 2022, 'enhanced access' replaces both 'extended access' and 'extended hours'.

Table - service setting selection

These appointments may be delivered via practices in the PCN, a separate hub or by a third-party provider, such as a federation.

Appointment provider Location of service - Practice Location of service - PCN to provide enhanced access Service setting
Practice team Practice - Core hours   General practice
ARRS staff provided by PCN Practice - Core hours PCN - Core hours Primary care network
Appointments provided by PCN for requirements in the Network Contract DES, excluding Enhanced Access Practice - Core hours PCN - Core hours Primary care network
Enhanced Access provider Practice – Network Standard hours or those agreed with commissioner PCN – Network Standard hours or those agreed with commissioner Extended Access provision
Enhanced Access provider using ARRS capacity Practice – Network Standard hours or those agreed with commissioner PCN – Network Standard hours or those agreed with commissioner Extended Access provision
Care teams external to Practice and PCN teams such as ICB Sexual Health Practice - Core hours PCN - Core hours Other

Action

  1. Practices that are being used to deliver enhanced access should start ensuring that the appropriate service setting is used with immediate effect.
  2. Although enhanced access appointments are not currently collected from all PCN hubs it is important that slot types which will be associated with appointments for PCN hubs, as well as practices, follow the service setting recommendations. This ensures that when appointment data for PCN hubs is collected, the data is accurately and consistently categorised by service setting.
     

Last edited: 5 October 2023 8:11 am