GPAS
General Practice Alert System
GPAS is Cambs LMCs General Practice Alert Status collection across Cambridgeshire & Peterborough.
Our workload and capacity report (published November 2020) and also access and demand (published June 2021.) both led to the launch of the weekly GPAS alert status collection in August 2021.
Your feedback has enabled us to better understand the pressures you are experiencing and the impact that it has on the running of your services.
ALL data is anonymised.
Update your GPAS status
Practices are asked to submit their GPAS alert state by 17:30 on Thursdays each week.
Weekly timeline
Monday
Practices review the alert state definitions and consider their current status
Tuesday through to Thursday
Practice completes GPAS survey by 17:30 deadline on Thursday
Friday
LMC collates and prepares report to be shared with General Practice System Leader colleagues.
GPAS Definitions
Green Alert State
Sustainable.
The GREEN ALERT state references a Practice running at normal levels of activity with resources in balance, patient waiting times acceptable and communications with external stakeholders at routine levels.
Assessment criteria
Patient Flow : Demand being met with waiting times at an acceptable level
Staff Levels: Balanced and sustainable
Communications: At routine levels with external stakeholders
Opel conversion
Opel: One
Meaning: Normal running and sustainable
System response : None defined
Amber Alert State
Sustainable in the medium term only & management action is required to revert to GREEN.
The AMBER ALERT state references a Practice running with some staff/resource shortage, patient waiting times are acceptable and communications with external stakeholders are at slightly elevated levels.
Assessment criteria
Patient Flow: Waiting times are extended but tolerable
Staff Levels: Some shortages but tolerable in the medium term
Communications: Increased level of communications with some external stakeholders
Opel conversion
Opel: Two/Three
Meaning: Trust showing signs of pressure/increased pressures at Trust
System response : Focused actions/system wide response required to return to OPEL 1
Red Alert State
Sustainable in the short term only.
The RED ALERT state references a Practice running under significant pressure but requiring immediate action to mitigate the situation. Staff shortages, increased patient waiting times and elevated levels of communications with stakeholders will put the whole Practice under untenable strain.
Assessment criteria
Patient Flow: Compromised with insufficient bookable appointments and telephony possibly overwhelmed
Staff Levels: Shortages impacting upon operational delivery
Communications: Immediate communications required with external stakeholders
Opel conversion
Opel: Four
Meaning: None defined
System response : Decisive action required with escalation to regional level for support
Black Alert State
Unsafe to continue without intervention from stakeholders.
The BLACK ALERT state references a Practice in extreme distress.
Assessment criteria
Three assessment criteria at Alert State RED
No ability to revert to Amber or Green in the short term
Opel conversion
Opel/Meaning/System response : No equivalent.
At system level this would equate to total system failure. This level is required within the GPAS to define those Practices in distress and likely to hand back their contracts.
FAQs & Practice Locations
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