There is so much going on in practice life right now, probably the most on-going changes GPs have had to deal with since the inception of the NHS. The trees are growing closer together with the growth of CQC registration, revalidation and CCGs. There are new saplings shooting up every day in the form of out-of-hours cover, new contracts, altering QOF targets and new clinical pathways. It is so easy to lose sight of what we do and why we do it. No where can I find a definitive statement of the `Core-Business` of General medical Practice, so I`m asking the question.
One well known encyclopedia says `the core business of an organization is an idealized construct intended to express that organization’s “main” or “essential” activity`.
Core business process means that an organisation`s success depends not only on how well each part performs its work, but also on how well the whole practice manages to coordinate it`s activities to conduct the core business process, by –
1. Listening to the needs of public. Meaning all activities in gathering the views of patients, patient groups, community and acting on the information.
2. Effectiveness of care. Covering all activities in CPD, self-development and good prescribing. Launching new quality treatments quickly and within budget.
3. The planning of staff requirements for the registered activities. The management of staff and making sure the right mix of staff is available for safe and effective practice.
4. The patient relationship management process. A robust complaints process and canvassing of patients for their views.
5. The wellbeing management process. All the activities in providing healthcare, enhancing health and wellbeing.
Practices today have to work in partnership with all stakeholders involved in the process of healthcare. Patient groups on one hand, and other healthcare agencies in the other, all through the contractual relationship with CCGs. When it comes to defining the core business of practice, in my opinion it`s somewhere in the above essential requirements. Although all the other requirements are important, they all lead to the sentence –
` All the activities in providing healthcare, enhancing health and wellbeing.`
Unless you know different?
