A public deliberation on the future of primary care in London
We wanted to get in touch with you today to share our plans to engage people across London on their views on the future of primary care services in the capital. NHS England are bringing together London citizens and NHS staff to help transform primary care services in London. We know how much people value primary care but we recognise it is under significant pressure and a long-term, innovative approach is needed for meaningful change. Around 52 million primary care appointments take place in London each year, so it is essential that primary care services work effectively for everyone.
Primary care is incredibly valued by residents, but is operating under significant pressure, with increasing demand and constrained resources. We know that a longer-term approach is needed if we are to unlock real. We are working with Imperial College Health Partners and Ipsos UK to deliver a series of public deliberation workshops, in order to put the voice of the public at the centre of how services are designed and delivered. Deliberative engagement is about putting people – through informed discussions, involving diverse perspectives, and understanding lived experiences – at the heart of decision making. It differs from other forms of engagement in that it allows those involved to spend time considering and discussing an issue at length before they come to a considered view.
This is a big and complex agenda, and there are lots of interests and issues at stake. There is therefore a strong need to work with London citizens and NHS staff to shape any changes to ensure their experiences and expectations can best inform future policy design and service transformation.
Through these deliberative sessions, over several weeks, we’ll explore people’s views on a wide range of areas relating to better care and access, including triage, consistency of care, onward care and team-based working. Ultimately, this work will culminate in a final report, showcasing the power of collaboration and encapsulating views and recommendations from a broad spectrum of Londoners. It will offer a roadmap for transformative change, aiming to inspire action and encourage ongoing dialogue between healthcare providers, policymakers and the public. We want to work closely with you to determine how these public views on primary care delivery can be delivered in practice. We will be in touch again later in September this year once the report has been developed by Imperial College Healthcare Partners.
The ideas we are discussing with the public are not set policy, but the process will allow Londoners to have a tangible influence on the design of our primary care services and how they are delivered, before any approach is finalised. It brings a much greater openness and transparency to how public services are planned and delivered, as well as a clearer understanding for the public on the decision-making processes and how we align that with the expectations of the NHS.
Thank you,
NHS London Communications Team
NHS England – London