NHS England selects Develop Consulting for general practice improvement programme
The NHS England has selected Develop Consulting for a new three-year Practice Level Support contract across its regions of East of England and North East & Yorkshire.
The Practice Level Support (PLS) is a national improvement programme for general practice, delivered on behalf of NHS England by three delivery partners – including Develop Consulting.
The new contract means Develop Consulting will continue supporting practices across both regions through the next phase of the programme, helping teams reduce pressure, improve patient access and deliver sustainable, patient-centred care.
Since its launch, Practice Level Support has supported thousands of practices nationally to improve access for patient care, through improved capacity created by improved productivity, efficiency and patient care planning, with 1,002 practices completing PLS in 2023 to 24 alone, covering 1,034 sites across all Integrated Care Boards and 47% of Primary Care Networks.
“We’re incredibly proud to have been entrusted by NHS England to continue delivering this important programme. General practice is facing significant pressures, but it also has a tremendous opportunity to innovate and work differently,” said Simon Bricknell, Healthcare Director at Develop Consulting.
Working directly with practice teams, Develop Consulting’s consultants and coaches help identify and implement practical improvements in access, productivity, workforce design and patient experience, helping practices build resilience and deliver high quality sustainable care.
A review of the firm’s work and impact shows that significant improvements can be achieved by optimising processes and embedding best practices in lean management, workflow optimisation and continuous improvement. Participating sites have reported releasing and reallocating an average of 7 hours and 39 minutes of clinical time and 9 hours and 29 minutes of administrative time each week, alongside improvements in staff experience, care navigation and service quality.
“Over the next three years, we’re looking forward to working alongside practices, Primary Care Networks and system leaders to help release capacity, improve patient experience and build resilient, sustainable models of care that enable practices to play a central role in neighbourhood working and the future of primary care,” noted Bricknell.
NHS transformation
The Practice Level Support programme is an integral part of NHS’s wider strategy to improve access to general practice while driving greater efficiency and productivity. By supporting practices in the adoption of digital tools and data-driven approaches, the programme helps teams gain better insights, optimise workflows and deliver an improved patient experience.
It is a key enabler of the ambition for Modern General Practice and supports the national priorities set out in the Medium Term Planning Framework.
