Important Dates
GP IT Re-Provisioning Project Update
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow Event
Emergency Oxygen 2017-18
Arrangements
New Practitioner Services Website
NHS Circulars & Guidance
Regional Office Contact details
2017-18 Seasonal Influenza &
Vaccination Campaign
GENERAL MEDICAL SERVICES MONTHLY PUBLICATION
ISSUE 90August 2017
Good Practice is published by Practitioner Services, a division of National Services Scotland.
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© Good Practice
Issue 90 August 2017
Important DatesMedical Payment date for July: Monday 31st July 2017
Medical Payment date for August: Thursday 31st August 2017
GP IT Re-Provisioning Project Update Dear Colleague,
We are pleased to inform you that, on Wednesday 21 June, an Advert was placed for the procurement of a GP IT as a Managed Service, Multi-Supplier Framework.
The GP IT Managed Services Contract Notice has now been published on the
Public Contracts Scotland and OJEU websites and can be found at the following links:
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUN287280
http://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:239988-2017:TEXT:EN:HTML
Below, for your information, is a table outlining the future Milestone Dates for the Procurement Phase (Phase Two) of this project, which should culminate in Contract Signature in June 2018.
Procurement Stage
Milestone Date
ESPD Advert Issued 23/06/2017ESPD Advert Response Deadline 24/07/2017ESPD Advert Response Evaluation Period 31/07/2017 to
11/08/2017ITSIB Invitation to Submit Initial Bids Issued 28/08/2017ITSIB Initial Bid Submission Deadline 06/10/17ITSIB Initial Bid Evaluation Period 23/10/2017 to
24/11/2017ITN Invitation to Negotiate Issued 04/12/2017ITN Reference Site Calls 04/12/2017 to
08/12/2017ITN Negotiation Phase 04/08/2017 to
09/02/2018ITSFB Invitation to Submit Final Bids Issued 19/02/2018ITSFB Final Bid Submission Deadline 02/03/2018ITSFB Final Bid Evaluation Period 12/03/2018 to
20/04/2018ITSFB Preferred Bidder Announcement 30/04/2018Award Contract Award 18/05/2018Award Contract Signature 15/06/2018
Attached for your information is a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document.
Should you have any further questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact the Project Team via the Project Mailbox: [email protected]
Kind regards
The GP IT Re-Provisioning Project Team
NHS Circulars, Guidance & Information Historic circulars can be searched on: www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/index.asp?offset=0
© Good Practice
Issue 90 August 2017
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow Event
Stroke 2017 is our sixth annual stroke symposium.
The day will give practicing clinicians an opportunity to update their knowledge in the rapidly changing field of stroke care.
This popular, high profile event will begin with a morning of lectures on the most current hot topics in stroke care by top leaders in the field. The afternoon will feature our masterclasses; a chance for you to participate in workshops and discussions covering a variety of key learning
areas and current areas of debate.
You can find the provisional programme here: https://rcpsg.ac.uk/events/stroke
Masterclass options 2017 (delegates must select 2 options)
Option A & Option B - Neuroimaging & Neurovascular
Option C - Basic Neuroimaging
Option D – Acute Stroke and TIA - recognition and initial management
Option E - Case based discussions
Option F – Stroke and psychology – applying research to practice
Further information is available from:
Caity Ryan
Education Coordinator
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
232 - 242 St Vincent Street, Glasgow, G2 5RJ
T + 44 (0)141 241 6210 | F + 44 (0)141 221 1804
2017-18 Seasonal Influenza & Vaccination Campaign
Quarterly Vaccination Claim Form
A 2017-18 Quarterly Vaccination claim form has been uploaded to the website.
No other documents have been updated as yet, but once the Scottish Government and Chief Medical Officer circulars have been released we will update the annual influenza claim and associated guidance.You can download the form from the following link:
https://nhsnss.org/services/practitioner/medical/payment-claims-and-pensions/vaccinations/
All regional office contact details are available on the Practitioner Services website.
If you cannot find a member of staff or their details are missing, please let us know and we will update the lists accordingly.
Regional Office Contact Details
www.psd.scot.nhs.uk/professionals/medical/about-medical-services.html
© Good Practice
Issue 90 August 2017
Emergency Oxygen 2017-18 Arrangements
New Practitioner Services Website
Oxygen Contract – the national arrangements for the supply of oxygen for use in practices in emergences are expected to take effect in September 2017. We are sorry for the delay in getting alternative arrangements in place and in recognition of the timing we plan to continue funding practices who continue to pay for their own supply in 2017-18.
Practices can apply to their Practitioner Services regional office to receive a payment of £320 where they have renewed an annual contract between April 2017 and September 2017 by
submitting an email with the invoice as an attachment to the appropriate regional office, and for the purposes of Emergency Oxygen, using the specific contacts provided below:
Glasgow: [email protected]
Edinburgh: [email protected]
Aberdeen: [email protected] (Grampian & Orkney)
[email protected] (Tayside & Shetland) [email protected] (Highland)
We realise this may be a little more administratively bureaucratic than last year, but we want to ensure that practices whose renewal falls before the start date are able to claim reimbursement whilst also providing information about existing supply arrangements to inform the final negotiations with the new supplier.
As before, practices who have exceptionally used more refills can apply for additional payments.
The relaunched website went into ‘Beta Live’ on Friday 22nd July 2017.
‘Beta Live’ is not the final product. It is an opportunity for staff and our customers to review and provide feedback before the site goes live.
The existing Practitioner Services site (www.psd.scot.nhs.uk) is now closed rendering all content on that site inaccessible.
The new Practitioner Services pages are available on the NSS website at: https://nhsnss.org/services/practitioner/ however there has not been a complete content transfer made from the old site to the new and many of the old features that you have been accustomed to accessing are not currently available.
We would encourage everyone to use the ‘Feedback’ link at the top of the Home Page to register any comments, bad or good, especially where you used the website as a repository for forms, guidance and other helpful documents that have now ‘disappeared’. We will give careful consideration to adding these into the new site and apologise if that seems the wrong way round to do this, however there was outdated content and content that was accessed infrequently that didn’t warrant it being hosted on the new website.
The main bone of contention is our archive of newsletters and prior year claim forms. We are not permitted to host content that isn’t current, however if you disagree, we encourage you to please click on the Feedback link at the top of the page and make your views known.
There have been redirects placed on some of the old site pages which link to the new site, however if you receive an Error 404 result from typing a web page, please use https://nhsnss.org/services/practitioner/ to access the Practitioner Services pages.
It should also be noted that the main source for Patient Information has moved to the NHS Inform website which can be accessed from the following link: https://www.nhsinform.scot/ We no longer maintain or host any of the original patient specific pages, eg How to register with a GP Practice, or How to access GP Health Records.
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GPIT RP FAQ v5.0
GP IT Re-Provisioning Project
FAQs
[email protected] Q1 What benefits will the new GP IT contract have for patients?
A1 The new GP IT contract is intended to facilitate better patient care through the use of technology. It will support the integration of healthcare services to ensure that patient information can be accessed by appropriate clinicians as and when required. The contract will also help ensure secure access to important patient information 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Q2 How will GP Practices benefit?
A2 The new contractual arrangements will result in the implementation of next generation IT systems that are more intuitive and user friendly. They will be quicker and more efficient, with increased functionality and higher availability. They will be underpinned by strong service levels and performance management, with clear lines of responsibility and accountability, providing, overall, a much slicker and more professional GP IT Service.
Q3 When do the current GP IT Contractual Arrangements expire?
A3 Each of the current Call-Off Contracts exist for seven years from the date they were signed. They end variously between 2017 and 2021. Most Boards have a mix of Practices using the EMIS or INPS systems, but not all Health Boards have entered into Call-Off arrangements with both suppliers.
Q4 Who is running the GP IT Re-Provisioning?
A4 Scottish Government (SG) eHealth issued a Commission to NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) to lead Phase One of the GP IT Re-Provisioning Project in June 2015. The Commission Response was approved by SG eHealth in October 2015. This means that NSS are managing the project on behalf of Board eHealth Leads and under their direction.
Q5 What are the objectives of this project?
A5 The objective of this project is to undertake: A simple and efficient re-provisioning exercise to establish a flexible contractual arrangement that is fit for purpose now, and can be easily added to as future requirements evolve. This vehicle should:
Enable GP IT now and into the future Increase levels of contractual influence and control over the system vendors Ensure compliance with existing and emerging GMS contract Encompass an increased, pre-defined and controlled breadth of functionality Enable evolving Scottish Government Strategies Support evolving models of care.
The intention is to maximise the value and contribution of mainstream IT solutions in general practice.
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GPIT RP FAQ v5.0
Q6 What are the timescales for the GP IT re-provisioning project?
A6 Phase One of the project completed in July 2016 and delivered the Outline Business Case (OBC) and the Statement of Requirements (SoR) for the new IT contractual arrangements. Phase Two is now underway to carry out the procurement with suppliers and put in place the new contractual arrangements by June 2018. Phase Three will then commence covering the following:
Accreditation & Testing of the new systems Implementation and Deployment of the chosen systems (including Training) Transition to the new systems, with all practices moved across by 2020.
Q7 What is an Outline Business Case?
A7 The Outline Business Case (OBC) is the justification for the project. It explains the likely costs benefits and the strategic context and identifies the risks associated with the project. It is essentially the blueprint for an investment decision. In the case of the GP IT Re-Provisioning, it is the document that provided the justification to proceed to procurement.
Q8 Will the Business Case cover costs and plans for training, roll-out and go-live?
A8 Yes, costs associated with implementation of the GP IT systems, such as train-the-trainer training, data migration and testing, will be incorporated into the Full Business Case, which will be completed at the end of the procurement once accurate supplier costs are known.
Q9 What is a Statement of Requirements?
A9 The Statement of Requirements (SoR) is the document that defines all the clinical and technical requirements for the new contractual arrangements. It must be well developed and concise to ensure quality and performance of the new contracts.
Q10 What will the requirements cover?
A10 Core business requirements for GP IT systems in NHSScotland will be confirmed, taking into consideration the following:
Existing core functionality and business continuity Strategy and Policy Hosting arrangements Interoperability needs Data/Information Sharing needs Contract/Commercial arrangements.
Q11 How will the functionality in the Statement of Requirements be delivered?
A11 The SoR functionality will be delivered in three stages, depending on prioritisation. Requirements marked with an M = Mandatory requirements, which any supplier must meet in order to make it onto the Framework. Requirements marked as T1 = Tranche One requirements, which suppliers must deliver at the point of implementation. Requirements marked as T2 = Tranche Two requirements, which must be delivered within the specified Tranche Two timeframes.
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GPIT RP FAQ v5.0
Q12 How will you ensure that the future GP IT systems can interface with the existing applications such as SCI Gateway, GP Lab Test Ordering Systems, Label Printing etc?
A12 It is recognised that the future GP IT solutions must be capable of interfacing to the existing NHSScotland IT architectural landscape and applications suite. They must also adhere to the appropriate interface standards to support the implementation of future NHSScotland applications. Interfaces between systems have been detailed as part of the Statement of Requirements (SoR). The opportunity will also be taken, where possible, to link to other key programmes and initiatives to ensure this project takes account of the evolving business needs.
Q13 What other programmes and initiatives are being taken into account as part of the requirement setting process?
A13 There are a number of eHealth initiatives within NHSScotland that are of relevance to the GP IT Re-Provisioning project. The project team is taking into account the findings and recommendations from these initiatives, particularly in the following key areas: 1. Primary Care Digital Services Programme 2. GMS Contract Compliance 3. Out of Hours Programme 4. CHI/Child Health/ GP Registration System Programme 5. MiDIS (community) Replacement Programme 6. Read 2 to SNOMED CT Transition Programme 7. GP2GP Programme 8. SPIRE Programme 9. National Patient Portal Programme 10. Scottish Wide Area Network (SWAN)
Q14 Will there be more than one Supplier, or a single national clinical system?
A14 NHSScotland is looking to secure a Multi-Supplier Framework. This means that more than one GP IT supplier system will be available to the Scottish marketplace.
Q15 Will systems be chosen Nationally, at Board level or at Practice level?
A15 The new GP IT Framework Agreements will be put in place nationally by NHS National Services Scotland. Health Boards, or consortia of Boards or GP Practices across Health Board boundaries, will then be in a position to contract for systems replacements in accordance with their local circumstances.
Q16 What is a Managed IT Service?
A16 A Managed IT Service is an information technology (IT) task provided by a third-party contractor. In a managed service arrangement, the managed service provider retains responsibility for the functionality of the IT service and equipment, and the customer (in this case NHSScotland) pays a regular fee for receipt of the service. A Managed IT Service comes with a Service Level Agreement (SLA), which is the contract between the service provider and the customer. The SLA identifies what services the provider will furnish and how successful delivery of services will be measured. In the case of GP IT, the Managed Service provided by suppliers will include General Medical Practice patient administration and clinical systems, together with associated services (including, but not limited to, implementation, development, testing, support and training services), and optional additional services such as digital dictation, training, patient online registration etc.
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GPIT RP FAQ v5.0
Q17 What is a Framework Agreement?
A17 Framework agreements are a popular mechanism for sourcing goods and services in the public sector. A Framework Agreement is an ‘umbrella agreement’ that sets out the terms (particularly relating to price, quality and quantity) under which individual contracts (call-offs) can be made throughout the period of the agreement. The main advantage to NHSScotland of using a Framework Agreement is that there is no need to go through a full procurement process every time new system requirements arise. There are also potential savings due to economies of scale, which may prompt suppliers to offer more competitive prices. The main advantage to suppliers of being on a Framework Agreement is the chance of being awarded valuable business opportunities. Frameworks do not guarantee that suppliers will get any business from them, but by being on a Framework they are in with a chance. In a Multi-Supplier Framework (where a framework is awarded to several suppliers), call-offs can be made directly, or via mini competitions (where users with similar requirements run a mini procurement/ competition process to select a supplier from the Framework that will best meet their needs.) NHSScotland will be procuring a Multi-Supplier Framework, with NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) managing the Call-Off Contracts on behalf of Health Boards. Working together with NSS, Health Boards and/or consortia of Boards or Practices, will have the ability to negotiate with suppliers, on certain contractual elements, during mini competition.
Q18 Why is NHSScotland looking to procure a 60-month Framework Agreement, rather than the standard 48 months?
A18 NHSScotland recognises that a level of investment will be required by the successful suppliers and that there will also be an extensive period of implementation and roll out, hence the decision to enter into a longer Framework Agreement.
Q19 What will the duration of the new call-off contracts be?
A19 The new call-off contracts will be for seven years, with options to extend by up to three years, taking them to a maximum of 10 years.
Q20 Will we still be allowed Third Party Add-On Applications?
A20 Add-ons will still be permitted where appropriate, however, the aim is to utilise the full functionality of the core systems and minimise the number of third party add-ons. This is to ensure that NHSScotland receives the best value for its investment and becomes more uniform across the country, making it easier and cheaper for local IT teams to support.
Q21 Which Third Party Applications will the new system integrate with?
A21 This will be determined as part of the procurement process, but we will endeavour to ensure that key Third Party Applications are supported.
Q22 What will be better about the new contractual arrangements?
A22 The new IT contractual arrangements will be more flexible and adaptable to evolving Scottish needs and new models of care, whilst ensuring that there is increased contractual rigour, tighter service levels and better collaboration with system suppliers. The new contractual arrangements are intended to enable us to change more rapidly in the future.
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GPIT RP FAQ v5.0
Q23 How will the change request process be better in the new arrangements?
A23 The Operating Model for the new contractual arrangements is still being defined, however, the project team is keen to ensure that lessons are learned from the existing contractual arrangements, and those of the other UK nations, and improvements are implemented wherever possible. The new Operating Model will include improvements to the way in which system changes are prioritised, implemented and paid for.
Q24 How have GPs and other stakeholders been engaged in the project?
A24 A detailed stakeholder engagement and communications plan has been put in place to identify all stakeholders and agree how best to engage with them. GPs and their teams have been involved every step of the way. Governance groups were set up to represent the interests of clinical and technical stakeholders in the form of the Clinical Reference Group (CRG) and the Technical Design Authority (TDA). Both these groups feed into, and have representation on the Project Board. All three governance groups include GP membership. In addition, a number of requirements validation workshops took place with a mixture of stakeholders including GPs, GP Practice Managers, GP Practice Nurses, Health Board Facilitators, Community and Primary Care Pharmacists, and IT subject matter experts. Where ever possible, the project team gathered knowledge and insight from, and presented at, existing stakeholder forums such as SCIMP, SNUG, Facilitator Leads, Primary Care, eHealth and Information Governance & Security meetings.
Q25 Were the Health Boards engaged in the procurement process?
A25 Yes. From the start of the process, steps were taken to ensure that Health Boards were fully engaged. The project is being undertaken on behalf of Health Boards, and their eHealth Leads are the driving force behind it, having set much of the direction of travel. Formal communications have been issued to all Health Board Chief Executives to make them aware of, and keep them updated on, the project. Communications have also been issued to the Facilitator and Practice Manager networks. Regular meetings and updates are given to the eHealth Leads of each of the Health Boards and eHealth Leads sit on our Project Board.
Q26 There are concerns that rural practices will not receive a good enough quality of service from a hosted service to ensure a fully functioning and effective GP IT System. Who is looking at the SWAN/N3 connections to rural practices and whether these can support a hosted clinical service?
A26 A number of stakeholders have raised the issues faced by rural practices and we are ensuring that these are factored into our mandatory requirements. The GP IT Project team and the GP IT Technical Design Authority have been working closely with the SWAN Programme to ensure that the correct levels of connectivity will be available at the point of roll out of the new GP IT Systems. A capacity model has been developed, which will enable 10Mb (synchronous 10Mb download/10Mb upload speeds) bandwidth for GP Sites with less than 60 devices in total, 20Mb for GP Sites with over 60 devices, and 100Mb, where necessary, for GP Sites that are directly connected to other sites on some of the Boards’ Community of Interest Networks (COINs). The Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband programme aims to deliver Next Generation Access (NGA) services to 95% of sites by March 2018. The remaining 5% of sites are part of Community Broadband initiatives with dates unspecified. Potential suppliers are therefore being asked to explain what their mitigation would be if the system was unable to work effectively on the broadband connections provided.
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GPIT RP FAQ v5.0
Q27 Why is the GP IT Re-Provisioning project considering external hosting of the systems in the new IT contractual arrangements?
A27 The next generation supplier products require external (off premise) hosting. A number of hosting options are being considered as part of the business case to ensure that the systems work for all Practices, wherever they are.
Q28 If the new contractual arrangements involve central hosting of the GP IT Systems, will this mean that Health Boards will remove GP practice servers altogether?
A28 Not necessarily. This contract is for the core clinical GP systems only. It is recognised that practice-based servers currently host additional systems such as Docman and accountancy software etc. Servers will remain if required. This will be at the discretion of the Health Board and should be dependent on the same or similar services being offered by other means.
Q29 When in the process of the re-provisioning will we get to see supplier demos?
A29 Once the Multi Supplier Frameworks are put in place and the suppliers’ products have been through accreditation and testing, demonstrations can then be made available to assist Boards, Consortia or Practices when making their direct call-offs or running mini competitions. This is likely to be from September 2018 onwards.
Q30 What’s the relationship between the GP IT and the Community IT Projects?
A30 GP IT and Community IT are being run as two separate procurements. The two project teams will work closely together, sharing knowledge and information as much as possible. The current national GP IT systems are end-of-life and will not allow Scotland to deliver against the evolving models of care. It is therefore imperative that the GP IT procurement progresses as quickly as possible and that the funding is identified to ensure that effective new systems can be put in place as soon as practically possible. The implementation of National Community IT systems will be a much larger and more transformational undertaking. Time needs to be taken to ensure that the scope and requirements for such systems are thorough and well thought out and that sufficient funding will be in place to implement and support them.
Q31 Who should I contact if I have any questions about the project?
A31 If you have any questions about the project or want to speak to one of the team, please email us at: [email protected]
