Network Contract DES – Amendment

NHSE has now published an amendment to the network contract DES for 2020/21. 

The amendments include the following:

• The clinical lead under the Enhanced Health in Care Home service may be a non-GP clinician with appropriate experience of working in care homes. Although please note that this has to be agreed by all of the practices in the PCN, the CCG and the relevant community provider;
• The roles of nursing associates and trainee nursing associates have been added to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme from 1st October 2020. This means that 12 roles are included in the scheme for this year. NHSE has said that it is still committed to introducing mental health practitioners and community paramedics in 2021/22;
• An Investment and Impact Fund of £24.25m will be introduced; working in a similar way to QOF.

There are six indicators as follows:​

1. Seasonal flu vaccinations for over 65s (with an upwards desired direction);
2. Learning Disability Health checks for those on the Learning Disability register (with an upwards desired direction);
3. Referrals to social prescribing (with an upwards desired direction);
4. Prescriptions of NSAID w/o a gastro-protective medicine to over 65s (with a downwards desired direction);
5. Prescriptions of oral anticoagulant & anti-platelet w/o a gastro-protective medicine to over 18s (with a downwards desired direction); and
6. Prescriptions of aspirin & another anti-platelet w/o a gastro-protective medicine to over 18s (with a downwards desired direction).

PCNs will be able to opt out of the Network Contract DES by giving notice to its CCG by 17th October if they do not wish to accept these revised terms.

If you would like to find out more about PCN structures and agreements and how we can assist generally, please contact our specialist team.

Read more about our PCN support here.