Strengthening the links between GPs and care providers

Alison Taylor heads up our work to enable care providers to access health information via GP connect. In this update she discusses the benefits of this approach to accessing GP information.

GP Connect is a system that allows social care staff to securely access GP records for the individuals they care for – including their last three encounters, immunisations, medications, and allergies. Having worked on GP Connect since the very beginning, it’s clear that strengthening the links between GPs and adult social care providers is crucial for all those involved in the care system.

Four years ago, we could only imagine what it would be like to have such a quick and easy way of accessing the GP record to support people we care for. Prior to GP Connect, the lack of interoperability and ability to share data across primary and adult social care was widespread throughout care organisations. Now, any CQC registered care providers using a Digital Social Care Record (DSCR) solution from our assured solutions list can sign up to use GP Connect – a system that shares individuals’ information with appropriate staff to support direct care. As of March this year, more than 3,000 provider sites are using GP Connect with approximately 113,000 individuals’ records being accessed.

GP Connect is read only and available for all CQC registered providers (including both care home and homecare providers). It provides two levels of access: full access to the record for clinicians gives more in depth information on the GP record, and filtered access with a restricted view. These allow different members of care organisations to have the information they require using role based access controls (RBAC) locally.

Having access to GP Connect benefits the adult social care system, empowers staff, and improves the experience of people receiving care

For the adult social care system, sharing this information results in improved communications and relationships between health and adult social care providers which leads to improved individual outcomes for the people we care for.

For staff, benefits include reduced time spent making phone calls to check information, having a holistic view of a patient, improved referral management, empowered decision making, and access to the most accurate and up to date information. This is vital to improve direct care through reduction of clinical safety incidents, especially around medicines management, as the information is readily available 24 hours a day.
People who receive care and their carers can have more confidence in clinical and adult social care oversight to support their care. In turn this means personalised care support plans, holistic care planning and treatment, less repetition, and joined up health and adult social care information for individuals.

I recently spoke to two key players about their experience with, and use of, GP Connect:

Taffy Gatawa, Chief Information Officer, EveryLife Technologies said,

GP Connect gives you a holistic view of what is happening in someone’s care and the time saving benefits are incredible. Based on our research (a survey of EveryLife Technology’s customers who are using GP Connect), time savings with GP Connect average 31 hours and £576 a month.

Andrea Baxter, Registered Manager and Nurse, Baxters Home Care (the first to go live with GP Connect in social care) said,

GP Connect increases efficiency in delivering care. I can’t imagine running domiciliary care and a care home without having access to GP Connect. It helps me to create comprehensive care plans as I can access information going years back and I have the assurance that the data is accurate.

Applying for access to GP Connect is quick and easy. All CQC registered adult social care providers need is:

• to have a Digital Social Care Record (DSCR) solution in place from NHS England’s assured solutions list. (Assured suppliers then integrate GP Connect into a care provider’s current system)
• to sign the National Data Sharing Agreement (NDSA) for direct care
• to have the data security protection toolkit (DSPT) to ‘standards met’
• to be CQC registered.

I’d encourage all adult social care providers to apply for GP Connect for the benefit of your staff, those you care for, their families, and the care system.