This page explains what Local Enhanced Services (LESs) are, how to submit claims for LESs to CQRS, and the benefits of CQRS.
What are Local Enhanced Services
GP practices hold a GP contract to run NHS commissioned general practice. A GP contract sets out the mandatory requirements and services for all general practices.
Services outside of national GP contracts are called Local Enhanced Services (LESs). LESs are governed by the GP practices core primary medical services contract.
LESs vary but can include services such as:
- Alcohol and substance misuse
- Anticoagulation monitoring
- Care homes
- Cardiovascular screening health checks
- Diabetes care
- Extended hours
- Falls
- HRT
- Influenza immunisations
- Mental health services
- Minor surgery
- Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)
- Public health services for example vaccinations
- Sexual health services
- Specialist drug monitoring
[source: British Medical Association]
LESs are developed by local commissioners, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), to provide a wider range of supplementary primary medical services to meet local population needs and priorities. ICBs ensure LESs deliver the best quality and outcomes for patients, value for money, and give patients choice where appropriate. LESs may be delivered by several providers (which may include GP providers) or only by GP providers. [source: NHS England].
Make LES Claims with CQRS Local
The Calculating Quality Reporting Service (CQRS) is an approval, reporting and payments system for GP practices. It helps practices track, monitor and declare achievement for the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), DES, and Vaccination and Immunisation (V&I) programmes [source NHS Digital]. Since 1 November 2020, CQRS has been managed by the NHS Commissioning Support Units.
GP practices submit claims to CQRS National to help manage their performance against national targets and to CQRS Local for LESs frameworks.
CQRS Local is a free, flexible, web based, payment claim system that helps to streamline the management processes associated with LESs.
Registered GP Practice users log into the CQRS Local portal and follow the easy-to-use screens to submit a claim by selecting the service and service components, inserting details about the claim such as unit values, adding attachments as supporting evidence, and completing supplementary information, if required.
When users submit a claim, it will be validated and then submitted for approval. If the claim fails validation, issues will display in an errors list for correction by the user. If a claim is rejected, the approver will enter a reason which helps ensure future claims are submitted correctly.
Benefits of CQRS Local
CQRS Local is a web-based portal. It enables providers and commissioners to manage claims for locally driven schemes that reflect local priorities. It streamlines the process of provider claims against local schemes, reduces administrative time, and ensures claims are trackable within a secure web-based platform.
Benefits of CQRS Local for GP practices
CQRS Local provides GP practices with flexibility in managing local incentives schemes. It removes the administrative overhead of submitting documented email claims by providing a more straightforward submission process, the ability to add supporting evidence and track claims, and reduces the risk of inaccurate claims resulting in prompt payments to GP practices.
Benefits of CQRS Local for commissioners
CQRS Local provides commissioners with a single, central point of access with enhanced reporting functionality. The system helps to reduce the amount of time spent administering local payments through trackable and auditable data submissions from providers and helps to reduce the risk of inaccurate claims.
