Dear Colleague
We are writing to inform you that the amount of funding available to practices under this Scheme has now increased to from £1.16 to £1.65 per weighted patient.
All practices participating in the Winter Access Fund (All Practice Scheme) will need to submit claims for additional capacity on the portal as soon as possible. In order to be paid for additional activity undertaken so far, you will need to claim by 14 March at the latest. This is to ensure that you get paid in the April payment run. The end date of the scheme is 31 March 22 and the final cut-off date for claims is 14 April.
All claims for the Winter Access Fund must be made through the www.primarycareworkforce.nhs.uk portal. New users to the workforce portal will have to register to gain access.
Guidance on the portal is available on FutureNHS. Queries on portal issues should be sent to necsu.arrsenquiries@nhs.net and copied to England.pctqueries@nhs.net. We have attached a step-by-step guide to accessing the portal and making claims produced by a practice in BHR Practice. BHR practices only can contact Andrew Watson at Andrew.watson@nhs.net or on 0208 501 6055 for advice and support. Practices may also wish to consider entering into arrangements with their Federations for support in entering claims on to the portal.
Practices can claim for:
- Funding additional sessions from existing and new clinical staff
- Funding of additional clinical sessions such as locums secured through banks and agencies including the NEL digital staff bank.
- Expanding the number of appointments both in-hours and extended hours.
- Additional appointments via increased capacity to include other clinical practice and PCN staff.
- Non-clinical staff to support clinical staff
- Funding used to catch-up on appointments
- Administration support
- Administration support to practices (from a PCN lead or other practice)
- Extended hours to accommodate additional appointments
- Providing cover for staff sickness or isolation to avoid cancelling appointments (Clinical, Non-clinical and admin staff).
When making a claim, Practices need to provide appropriate evidence i.e. pay slips and invoices. Practices using their own staff and regular locums will need to highlight the added capacity above normal working hours.