The Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) transforms primary care by funding new roles like clinical pharmacists and social prescribing link workers. In the article below, we will explore ARRS's goals, funding details, and future.
What is ARRS?
The Additional Role Reimbursement Scheme is a vital part of the NHS's long-term plan to transform Primary care services in the UK. The scheme aims to help Primary Care Networks (PCNs) expand their teams with a wide range of ARRS role list via targeted ARRS funding.
This addresses the urgent need for a more diverse healthcare workforce. The ARRS role list includes professionals like clinical pharmacists and social prescribing link workers, greatly enhancing the capabilities of PCN ARRS teams. Looking ahead, ARRS funding for 2024/25 will continue supporting and growing these essential primary care roles.
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What does ARRS Aim to Achieve?
The primary goal of the ARRS is to relieve the increasing pressures and work strain from general practices and improve patient healthcare service access. By expanding the clinical and non-clinical teams via ARRS roles maximum reimbursement, the scheme aims to achieve the following benchmarks:
Meet the evergrowing healthcare demand by enhancing the capacity of primary care services.
Improving patient outcomes and satisfaction by delivering a diverse range of healthcare services.
Support PCN integration with healthcare services to facilitate an innovative and more collaborative approach to patient care.
Promote the shift towards more preventative healthcare support and community-based care, reducing the reliance on hospital care.
What are the New ARRS Roles in Primary Care?
The ARRS roles listed in primary care are diverse, each contributing uniquely and broadening PCN's service range. All these roles are reimbursed through ARRS funding, allowing PCNs to meet the patients' complex health needs more effectively.
The following is the new ARRS role list through ARRS funding 2024/25:
Clinical Pharmacists: Manage medications, conduct reviews, advise, and support chronic disease management to ensure optimal therapeutic outcomes.
Pharmacy Technicians:Â They assist clinical pharmacists in managing medications and organising prescriptions, helping patients understand their treatment procedures.
Health and Well-being Coaches: They help people heal by changing their lifestyles and focusing on physical and mental well-being.
Dieticians: These medical professionals offer nutritional advice for health improvement and disease management by creating customised patient diet plans.
Nursing Associates: They support patient care by filling the gap between registered nurses and healthcare assistants, providing mixed nursing and care services.
Podiatrists: These professionals treat foot and lower limb issues, essential for maintaining mobility and managing conditions affecting the quality of life.
Occupational Therapists: They help patients overcome challenges from long-term illnesses, disabilities, or injuries, improving their ability to carry out daily life activities.
Paramedics: Paramedic staff provide acute care, home visits, and emergency support to patients, enhancing the responsiveness and flexibility of primary care services.
Adult Mental Health Practitioners: They support adult patients with complex mental health needs in primary care.
Care Coordinators: They manage patient care across healthcare providers, ensuring seamless support for those with complex healthcare needs.
First-contact Physiotherapists: They offer direct support and care for musculoskeletal problems, reducing GP consultations.
Physician Associates work with doctors to diagnose and manage patients, perform medical histories and exams, and recommend treatments.
Other ARRS roles in primary care include:
Children's and Young People’s Mental Health Practitioners: They specialise in early intervention and support for children and young people.
Trainee Nursing Associates:Â Trainee nursing associates are training to fill the gap between healthcare assistants and registered nurses, gaining diverse skills.
Social Prescribing Link Workers:Â These workers connect patients with community support services to address social, emotional, and practical needs.
General Practice Assistants: General practice assistants support clinical staff with administrative tasks, patient care, and patient record management.
Digital and Transformation Leads:Â These leaders manage digital innovation projects to improve patient care, streamline operations, and enhance digital health solutions.
Advanced Practitioners:Â Advanced practitioners assess, diagnose, and treat patients autonomously in specialised areas, contributing to efficient patient care.
Enhanced Practice Nurses:Â These nurses have postgraduate certification in specialist care areas and provide advanced patient management and leadership skills.
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ARRS Funding for 2024/25
The ARRS funding scheme is transformative for PCNs, providing financial backing to alleviate their clinical teams. The funding covers the costs associated with various healthcare roles under the scheme, thus relieving the workload on GPs and facilitating more efficient patient care delivery.
ARRS Funding Allocation
The funding will be allocated to PCNs depending on their specific needs and the population they serve. This approach ensures that the resources are directed exactly where they are most needed, allowing PCNs across the UK to benefit from additional healthcare.
How will the funds be Utilised?
The Primary Care Networks are responsible for utilising and managing ARRS funding 2024/25. This includes covering salaries and training budgets and ensuring these ARRS roles deliver value in patient care.
The PCNs must work within the NHS England and Improvement framework, which outlines the eligible roles and the ARRS role's maximum reimbursement suitability.
How much is the ARRS Funding for 2024/25?
In 2023/24, the ARRS delivered 26000 additional staff over a year early. The scheme has strengthened the recruitment process, and as of December 31, 2023, 34000 additional healthcare staff have already been recruited since 2019.Â
The ARRS funding for 2024/25 has been agreed to allot a total of £1,441 million. The NHS, England will hold this funding, which will not be added to the revised funds of the local primary care allocations.
The ARRS Pay Scales
The ARRS pay scales depend on the specific role and its associated responsibilities. Generally, ARRS roles like physician associates and clinical pharmacists have higher salaries because they require advanced training and expertise.
Moreover, ARRS roles in primary care, such as health and well-being coaches, occupational therapists, and others, have competitive salary packages, reflecting their vital contributions to primary care in the UK.
The ARRS roles maximum reimbursement mainly depends on the following factors:
Complexity of the role: Positions that require advanced training and qualifications often demand higher pay.
Experience: The more experienced a healthcare professional, the higher the salary.
Location: ARRS pay scales also vary according to geographical locations. Serving a higher population offers increased salaries.
Conclusion
In conclusion, ARRS plays an essential role in enhancing primary care by funding diverse healthcare roles, ensuring fair ARRS pay scales, and maximum reimbursements. The scheme not only relieves GP workload but also provides the PCNs with services tailored to the patient's needs.
This targeted healthcare approach improves patient satisfaction and aligns with NHS England's goals to create a more proactive, responsive, and diverse healthcare system.
FAQs
What does ARRS mean in NHS?
ARRS stands for Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. It's an initiative under the NHS Long Term Plan that funds new healthcare roles to expand and diversify the primary care workforce.
What is ARRS in mental health?
Who funds ARRS roles?
How much is ARRS funding?
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