In celebration of the two-year milestone of the Future of Primary Care webinars, an enlightening session was held featuring Dr. Mohit Venkataram, Primary Care Executive Director at ELFT, and Dr. Sean O'Kelly, the Chief Inspector at the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Almost 400 GPs and primary care colleagues attended the event, marking it as the most successful in the webinar's history.
The webinar series was initiated by Dr. Venkataram as a platform to foster a learning community within the dynamic world of primary care. He expressed his gratitude towards the active participants, remarking how their engagement has made these webinars a significant success. He acknowledged the resilience of primary care services, which have successfully conducted nearly 25 million appointments in April alone, and emphasised that primary care services are best led by GPs and clinical staff, with the backing of large trusts like ELFT for resilience and corporate support.
The special guest, Dr. Sean O'Kelly, provided invaluable insights on the ongoing changes in primary care services regulation. As the Chief Inspector at CQC, his expertise helped underline the shifting landscape of primary care - transitioning from operating independently to integrating with wider health services.
Dr. O'Kelly discussed the CQC's five-year plan, highlighting the strategic objective of becoming a smarter regulator. This includes leveraging digital platforms and effectively managing data from public and staff for improved risk assessment and decision-making around inspections. He revealed the development of a new regulatory platform, set to launch this autumn, expected to digitally manage the healthcare and social care sectors across 42,000 sites.
The session also explored the importance of fostering a culture of curiosity, openness, and learning around safety, promoting a culture of safety and acceleration in improvement. Dr. O'Kelly also discussed how the new regulatory platform will facilitate shorter, more direct reports, aiding organisations in identifying areas for improvement.
Moreover, he elaborated on the structural and procedural changes in the CQC, introducing the new role of 'Assessor' and moving from 'Key Lines of Enquiry' to 'Quality Statements' for clearer guidelines on what constitutes good quality care.
Addressing several challenges including workforce changes, demographic shifts, and digital advancements, Dr. O'Kelly maintained an optimistic view of the future. He expressed his belief in the importance of collaboration and accurate information-based decision making, advocating for holistic, integrated care.
"The webinar has acted as a change agent, fostering rethinking and discussions about the future of primary care. It has maintained a focus on regulation 'through the eyes of the community' and ensured that patients remain central to all they do," said Dr. Mohit Venkataram. "As we celebrate the two years of this webinar series, we look forward to the continued growth and learning it brings for GPs and primary care colleagues in ELFT and beyond."
Dr. Venkataram also reflected on the success of this webinar series as a whole, expressing, "This webinar marks an important milestone in our journey. It’s heartening to see almost 400 GPs and primary care colleagues actively participating, learning, and engaging in the meaningful discussions that these sessions foster. It reaffirms our belief in the power of community and collaboration. Together, we can navigate the dynamic landscape of primary care and continue to provide excellent services to our communities. As we celebrate these past two years, let's look ahead with the same vigour and commitment to innovation and improvement in primary care."
