As part of initiatives to tackle health inequalities, BHR CCG has developed a Local Incentive Scheme (LIS) which aims to support an increase in the number of completed annual physical health checks for people on the GP SMI (severe mental illnesses) QOF (Quality and Outcomes) register.
GP practices already offer annual physical health checks for patients on the GP SMI QOF register.
NHS England quarterly reporting figures show that Barking & Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge are not yet meeting the level of completed physical health checks, which would address health inequalities specifically experienced by people with severe mental illnesses.
These are:
With the above in mind, the LIS for people with SMI is arranged so that each practice receives £35 per patient with a completed six item health check per year, above a minimum threshold of 40% achievement.
Payments will be made on a quarterly basis.
Achieving the threshold will be supported by the deployment of Health care Assistants who will carry out health checks in secondary care mental health settings and update each patient’s practice with results of the completed health check.
The LIS was rolled out from 23rd September 2019 was distributed via the Primary Care Team.
An IT guide has been drafted to help GP practices, use their clinical systems to identify patients on the GP SMI QOF register using.
Each clinical IT system has a specific methodology and practices can be assured that the most efficient way of carrying out a search for the relevant patients has been found.
GP practices are requested to use the guide to identify the relevant patients with SMI who are in need of an annual health check and contact those patients to attend for the health check which could help identify any health issues that undermine life expectancy or healthy living.
BHR CCG contact for the scheme:
Kevin Dowling - SMI physical health checks lead
Email: kevin.dowling3@nhs.net
Tele: 020 3182 3149
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