While the NHS is chronically underfunded, there are still opportunities for grant applications, including ETTF Funding. This fund gives GPs and CCGs the opportunity to improve their premises and develop new technologies.
Here we’ll explore the reasoning behind the fund, what it can be used for and how it can help GPs and CCGs achieve a better quality of care.
What is the ETTF?
The ETTF – also known as the Estates and Technology Transformation Fund – is a multi-million pound investment by NHS England.
Its aim is to improve GP facilities and technology across England and expand services for patients in these hospitals.
This form of funding became available in 2015/16, and pledges to spend £250m per year until 2019/20.
How has the project progressed?
The main focus of the first few years of this fund has been improving and expanding existing GP facilities.
In year one, the fund completed 560. However, there was a delay in this first year as NHS England changed the terms of funding after practices had already submitted bids. This resulted in millions of pledged funding being rescinded.
For the second year, CCGs across the nation submitted recommendations for further investment (new buildings and technology schemes). At last count, over 800 further schemes were submitted for potential investment.
In the third year, things were really starting to move. The fund completed 198 more schemes, 169 were in delivery and 656 were subject to due diligence and approval.
Experts suggest that the annual spending for the ETTF fund will increase each year as larger developments complete. This will eventually enable most GP practices to work well with local services (e.g. local authorities, voluntary organisations and NHS Trusts) to provide more services for their community.
What can you use ETTF funding for?
You can use ETTF funding to make vast improvements to your facilities, either by improving the premises or the technology your team use.
Here are just a few things you can use ETTF funding for:
- Building consulting and treatment rooms
- Improving reception and waiting areas
- Creating better facilities for minor injuries
- Extending facilities to house a range of medical professionals (GPs, nurses and clinical pharmacists)
- Constructing new health centres that offer a range of services for patients in one place
- Developing better IT systems to improve data sharing within the local area
Tuckwood Surgery case study
Tuckwood surgery in Norwich are recent recipients of ETTF. They received a grant for £118,070, including £6,060 for IT purposes.
They used this money to build two new consulting rooms. These rooms:
- Offer additional services for patients (e.g. physiotherapy and mental health services)
- Give more training for medical students and GP trainee registrars
- Take on more patients
- Work as part of social prescribing (refer patients to local non-clinical services)
Health and Care Videos
As part of its technology remit, GPs and CCGs can use ETTF funding to gain access to the UK’s largest health and care video library.
Health and Care Videos improve GP capacity, save money and help educate patients. With libraries specifically made for the primary care sector, as well as conditions including COPD, diabetes and heart disease, there are many patients that would benefit from this resource.
Our video series has been specifically designed to integrate with the primary care pathway, and GP practices in general. They can be displayed in waiting rooms, on tablets in the consultation rooms offices or reached through links/QR codes on leaflets.
3418 Welcome to the GP Video Library V2 from Health and Care Videos on Vimeo.
Health and Care Videos is the perfect solution for GPs and CCGs trying to improve the patient experience and save on overheads. Use ETTF funding to gain access to these videos today.
