Lambeth GP Federations are teaming up with health data specialists Dr Foster to develop a fully integrated care system, improving services for thousands of patients.
Experts from Dr Foster will be working closely with Lambeth GP Federations to create bespoke data dashboards, linking the organisations involved, and enabling them to measure and compare outcomes to drive improvement. Lambeth GP Federations consist of 41 GP Practices and cover three Local Care Networks (LCNs) – North Lambeth, South East and South West.
Lambeth GP Federations chose to partner with Dr Foster based on its statistical expertise in measuring outcomes, delivering meaningful results using robust, relevant indicators. Dr Foster analysts work closely with NHS trusts to define the indicators, determine the baseline for each indicator and then calculate a target to achieve through interventions. All indicators are verified by the Dr Foster Unit at Imperial College to ensure they are statistically robust.
Having already worked with several CCGs in Yorkshire and Humber, Dr Foster will use this experience to adapt, and in some cases build from scratch, tools that meet the needs of the GP Federations.
Dr Foster will be using nationally available health data to monitor health outcomes and work with the GP Federations to determine which outcomes they want to measure. This data will be pulled together to create a bespoke outcomes dashboard for each GP Federation.
A risk stratification tool will be developed to help each GP Federation find people with the highest risk of hospital admission. Dr Foster will support each GP Federation with bespoke analytics to provide detailed health insight into local populations.
In addition, Dr Foster will create a new financial tool based on a financial dashboard that is being used by CCGs in the north of England. This tool will be more in line with the requirements of the GP Federations, to help them fully demonstrate their burden of care to the community sector with the aim of securing the resources to tackle health needs.
Therese Fletcher Managing Director, Lambeth GP Federations, said: “Our main priorities are to provide high quality and compassionate patient care at scale while ensuring the sustainability of primary care. We decided to work with Dr Foster because of its health sector experience and its work with NHS organisations. It was important for us to work with an organisation that understands the current landscape of primary care and the wider health system.
“The Federations are looking forward to working with Dr Foster as it will help us use data in a meaningful way to its full potential and by doing so ensuring that our patients are receiving the most appropriate healthcare interventions. The insights provided by Dr Foster will allow Lambeth GP Federations to make the most of the limited resources that are currently available to us.”
Jason Harries, managing director, Dr Foster said: “We are leading the way with this alliance which will bring significant changes in primacy care service provision. Such alliances are becoming progressively more important as they will be at the forefront of directing resources to communities with the greatest health needs.”
