Supplier performance

Service Levels

The GPSoC Service Level and Performance Monitoring Specification (PDF 362Kb), sets out the standards to which the supplier must deliver the GPSoC services. Supplier performance is measured in each of the following categories:

• Helpdesk Support
• Availability of the GPSoC Services
• Resolution and Management of Service Failures
• GPSoC Service Response Times

These measures are described more fully in the GPSoC Service Level Summary (Word 235Kb).

Some measures, such as helpdesk support, can be measured objectively and regularly whether a practice's system is provided from a centrally-hosted environment or using a server in the practice. Others can only be reliably monitored in a centrally hosted environment.

The GPSoC Service Credit Mechanism allows for financial deductions to be applied to poor performance of services hosted NHS CFH standards.

Where problems are encountered with a practice based system then local investigation may be required to determine whether the service levels have been breached and, if the problem is not resolved, the practice and PCT have the option to terminate the supplier's service without penalty.

Supplier Monthly Support and Service Performance Report

A monthly report is produced by NHS CFH showing the national performance summary of all Suppliers and Systems across 3 key areas:

• System Availability (suppliers' ability to meet contractual requirements for system availability)
• Incident Management (suppliers' management and resolution of system faults)
• Service Desk Performance (the speed at which suppliers answer calls to their helpdesks, and react to support emails to the nominated support email addresses)

The report is produced using data from monthly performance monitoring reports already provided by suppliers to NHS CFH.

The report allows easy performance comparisons between different Suppliers and Systems across all GPSoC Hosting Levels, and provides historical data for the last 3 months.  PCTs should refer to their monthly GPSoC PCT Performance Monitoring Reports (produced by all suppliers) for more localised performance summaries.

GPSoC Supplier Performance Report - August 2009 (PDF, 855KB)

Service reports

PCTs will receive a Performance Monitoring Report (PMR) for practices in the PCT from each GPSoC supplier with which it holds a GPSoC Call Off Agreement. The reports will reflect performance against the service levels which are set out in full in the GPSoC Service Level Specification.

PCTs are encouraged to use the report as input to discussions with practices and GPSoC suppliers about local service issues.

If there are errors in the reports PCTs should raise with their supplier in the first instance - if this is not satisfactorily resolved then this should be escalated to their SHA Primary Care team and NHS CFH GPSoC Service Management at nhscfh.gpsocsupport@nhs.net at the earliest opportunity so that this can be addressed with the suppliers as part of the monthly service reviews.

We are currently working with each GPSoC supplier to agree the format and content of the Performance Monitoring Reports and expect them to start to become available to PCTs from July 2008. National reports will be available to download from this webpage.

Service improvement

Service reviews

PCTs and practices involved in service reviews

NHS CFH will hold monthly service reviews with each GPSoC supplier to discuss the supplier's performance and identify areas for improvement. On a quarterly basis we plan to hold a supplier review and include representation from the user community to identifyand agree improvements that can be made to improve the overall user experience.

This will give practice, PCT and SHA representatives the opportunity to discuss issues they may have with the quality of the service and the way in which it is provided.

User representation will vary by supplier and will be agreed with GP system user groups, PCTs and SHAs. The location of the quarterly review meetings will be agreed with the attendees and, if the logistics prove to be an issue, teleconference or videoconference will be used.

User representatives will be expected to canvas views of their groups, assist with agreeing the way in which issues are to be resolved and provide feedback to their groups.

GPSoC Quaterly Service Review Minutes for Download

INPS Quaterly Service Review Minutes March 2009 (Word 2.6mb)

GPSoC quarterly service reviews issue escalation

The following is an outline of the agreed GPSoC issue escalation process, for use by GP practices and PCT’s to ensure that significant service and supplier related issues are managed and dealt with appropriately. This process will be a significant feed into the Monthly Service Review and Quarterly Supplier Review processes, and will ensure that significant service and supplier issues can be managed and resolved in an open forum, with input from the GPSoC stakeholders affected.

Process outline:

• GP practice raises issue with appropriate Service Desk;
• If issue is not resolved through Service desk, GP escalates issue to PCT;
• PCT will confirm issue is with supplier and contact supplier escalation point;
• If issue is not resolved, PCT will escalate to NHS CFH GPSoC@nhs.net and copy their SHAs Service Management team or GPSoC Lead for information;
• NHS CFH will document issues for the Monthly Service Review with the supplier and feed into quarterly review process for addition to the action plan.

GPSoC - Escalation Workflow diagram

Reporting service issues

GPSoC does not change the arrangements for reporting service issues. Where practices report service issues via the PCT's Local Service Desk then they can continue to do so or where issues are reported direct to the GPSoC supplier's Service Desk by the practice then this can also continue.

PCTs, in discussion with practices, are responsible for making sure there is a clear local policy for reporting service issues.

Once the supplier's Service Desk has been contacted, the supplier is obliged to have a Complaints Procedure and so should log the complaint and give the caller a reference number. The Service Desk should then investigate and resolve the issue.

Escalating service issues

Where problems persist and the practice is not satisfied with the supplier’s response then this should be raised with the PCT’s Local Service Desk.  Where the PCT Local Service Desk is unable to achieve resolution with the Supplier then this should be escalated using the Live Service Issues/Incident Escalation process.  If the issue relates to a National Application then the issue should be escalated to the NHS CFH National Service Desk (NSD) for resolution.