£9m GP package paves way for Jersey Care Model

Tuesday 10 May 2022

GPs have been awarded £9m by Government to support and diversify their practices in a move paving the way for the introduction for the new Jersey Care Model.

Approved by States Members in 2020, the Jersey Care Model aims to reduce individuals’ dependency on secondary services or ending up in hospital by delivering more direct care in the community.

The Government describes it as healthcare delivered by the "right person, in the right place, at the right time".

GPs had, however, raised concerns that the new model of healthcare would create problems for their already stretched workforce.

To help them adapt, £3m of the £9m package is to help practices with the cost of employing professionals including nurses, paramedics, pharmacists and health care assistants.

£1m will be provided for that purpose this year, with a further £2m in 2023, before the funding is phased out over 2024 and 2025 "as new ways of delivering care and funding under the JCM are rolled out", according to Government.

Under the new model, a fee will be paid to practices for each consultation or service delivered by a healthcare professional, which the Government says it hopes will allow practices to "adjust their business models away from one dominated by GPs and allow the development of new services."

A contract is also due to be created which will see practices paid a fee for delivering telephone or video consultations.

GPs have additionally been asked to work with Government to create new measures and targets, with Government committing to progressively increase the funding by £1m over the next 4 years to reach £2.8m by 2025 as part of a 'payment for performance' agreement.

A spokesperson for the Primary Care Board, which represents local GPs, said the body had been "pressing for several years for support to modernise their practice teams in line with the services offered in Primary Care on the mainland and further afield."

"Practices will now be supported in diversifying their workforce to offer improved care to their patients whilst maintaining access to their GP. We look forward to working with Government to address and support the evolving healthcare needs of islanders," they said.

Social Security Minister, Deputy Judy Martin said: "I introduced the Health Access Scheme in 2020 to support lower income families with their primary care costs. This has been very successful, but I knew there was more to do. I asked my team to consider broader measures to support access to primary care.

"This has led to very productive conversations with General Practice and a focus on the challenges around staffing and Jersey's reliance on GPs."

She continued: "Today nurses and other healthcare professionals have the skills to provide a wide range of services to patients. This expansion of the workforce will allow GPs to focus on areas where they are needed most.

"Our focus on Health Care Professionals, like nurses and pharmacists will help us improve the balance of practitioners in General practice, which will have knock-on benefits for the quality of care, patient access and health outcomes."