enhanced service
enhanced service
Any of a number of essential or additional services delivered by GPs in the UK to a higher specification, or medical services outside the normal scope of primary medical services, which are designed around the needs of the local population. Enhanced services are commissioned by Local Health Boards (LHBs) and can be contracted from any provider—not just GMS contractors—so long as the provider can meet the service specification and provide value for money. Enhanced services provide LHBs with opportunities to develop more local and integrated services across primary and secondary care.Enhanced services types
Directed enhanced services: All LHBs must commission or provide.
National enhanced services: All LHBs should commission or provide, but not mandatory.
Local enhanced services: Optional commissioning of services based on local needs.
Enhanced services raison d'être
• Improve patient care for all patients and for specific vulnerable groups;
• Improve patient choice;
• Aid the resourced shift of work from secondary care to primary care;
• Allow practices to develop enhanced services for their practice populations.