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HSC paid out around £1m to the island's three primary health groups between April and June to help them through the pandemic, it has been revealed - and one of those practices has signed a four-year "partnership" contract with the States.
Ahead of the three-month trial, there were talks with each of the practices about committing to an "enhanced partnership" arrangement with HSC.
Queens Road Medical Practice signed the four-year agreement, while the HealthCare Group and Islandhealth declined.
As a result, Queens Road received enhanced financial support from HSC during lockdown compared to the other two practices.
"Between April and June 2020, arrangements were in place between HSC and primary care to ensure that all islanders were able to access the services that they required, whether they were concerned about Covid-19 or needed to continue to access routine services," said a Spokesperson for HSC.
"Since first being approached by primary care in early April expressing concern in respect of the impact of Covid-19 on how the community were able to access their services, HSC sought to work at pace to develop options on how primary care and HSC could work together to support islanders.
"Two contractual proposals were developed, both of which predominantly focused on addressing the immediate challenges of Covid-19 and detailed how the management and funding of these novel ways of working could work. Both contracts were time-limited to three months in terms of remuneration for services, but one also contained a commitment to work in partnership with HSC towards achieving the aims of the future model of health and care, the Partnership of Purpose.
"The draft contracts were shared with all three practices and meetings were arranged to discuss the detail. While it was open to all three practices to adopt the same operating and funding model, the practices are, of course, individual private businesses, and this was reflected in their final decisions. Queens Road Medical Practice committed to the partnership contract and separate agreements were reached with the HealthCare Group and Island Health LLP to pay for the services used."
Pictured: The payments that the three primary care practices received.
HSC will continue to work with all three practices to deliver an "improved model of care supporting the Partnership of Purpose and Revive and Thrive", according to the Spokesperson.
There has also been a separate arrangement with Queens Road.
"The agreement reached with Queens Road Medical Practice provides specific opportunity for enhanced partnership working between the practice and HSC over the next four years building on the work we’ve already undertaken together on familial hypercholesterolaemia testing, where early indications have shown really positive results," said the Spokesperson.
"Discussions are ongoing to develop a programme of work, focussing on trialling new initiatives to improve health outcomes."
From the development of the Covid-19 clinic, free at the point of delivery, to providing intensive support within care and nursing homes, HSC said primary care providers "have played an integral role in a co-ordinated whole health system response" during the pandemic.
There can be no doubt that the Bailiwick finds itself in a strong position as a result of the combined efforts of all health and care providers and the Committee wishes, again, to put on record its thanks to primary care in this regard.
Pictured top: Queens Road Medical Centre.
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