Somerset LMC Weekly Update Friday 19th October 2018
Date sent: Friday 19 October 2018
Sent to all Somerset GPs and Practice Managers This and previous updates are available here
- Reminder that ‘type 2’ objections are no longer valid
- Latest LMCs seasonal vaccine offers 2019-20
- Notes from the October Somerset GP Board meeting
- Report of the GP services workstream of the STP
- Scam of the week
- Somerset LMC Study Day 13th November - Transformation: Making Quality Care Easier
Reminder that ‘type 2’ objections are no longer valid: The national data opt-out was introduced in May 2018 to coincide with the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It replaces the ‘type 2’ objection that was previously offered by GP practices. Following a series of communications to GP practices, NHS Digital ceased collecting and applying type 2 objections on 11 October 2018. Practices must no longer record type 2 objection codes and instead signpost patients to the ‘Your NHS Data Matters’ service using the materials provided earlier this year (including posters, handouts, screen text, and recommended text to be added to GP practice privacy notices).
For further details see the opt-out pages on the NHS Digital Website .
Latest LMCs seasonal vaccine offers 2019-20 are now available on our website , you will need to be logged in first to view them.
Notes from the October Somerset GP Board meeting: In addition to our regular business items, reports from meetings and updates from the STP and Strategy Review, there were several other important items on the agenda:
1. The September meeting had heard a presentation from Dr Helen Thomas, the Urgent Care lead for the CCG, about urgent and emergency care, including the development of the Clinical Assessment Service (to be run by Devon Doctors from February 2019) and the possible configuration of Urgent Treatment Centres across the county. The Board had since written to the CCG with our response, including the view that many practices were already successfully managing their own urgent care, and that concentrating care in hubs, for example, might not prove the best option across the county. The Board agreed that it would be useful to produce a position paper outlining our position.
2. The Board agreed to widen its membership to include a GP representative of the CEPN (Community Education Provider Network). This is important given how the future of Primary Care in Somerset will depend critically on development and education of the workforce.
3. We discussed a more detailed business plan produced by Somerset Primary Health relating to the use of the Transformation Funding, how this relates to developing “neighbourhoods” across the county. We are planning to produce a timeline for this, and are keen to see this translated into action as soon as possible. We are aiming to launch this at the flagship LMC/CEPN event , Transformation: Making Quality Care Easier, being held at the racecourse on 13th November. The next SGPB meeting will be on 21st November.
Report of the GP services workstream of the STP: As part of the Fit For My Future the CCG has undertaken a review of GP services led by Steve Edgar and Will Harris. The elements relating to core GP services will go for discussion and approval at the NHSE/CCG Primary Care Joint Commissioning Committee. The elements related to the role of GP services in locally integrated care have been incorporated into the Long Term Conditions proposal which will be presented with the other proposals at the FFMF Strategy Board. It is, in fact, a good read and it can be seen on the LMC website here: https://www.somersetlmc.co.uk/thegpelementoffitformyfuture The conclusions are that the people of Somerset need and value local, high quality GP services; there has been a significant loss of GP workforce in Somerset - we now have far fewer GPs than we did in 2013; in general, GP services are still providing a good service, but the service is under extreme pressure; there are wide variations in waiting times, continuity of care and other indicators of clinical quality; several important aspects are in decline, in particular continuity of care; many practices are innovating new approaches, but the spread of innovation is uneven, general practice in Somerset is not currently able to play the role of foundation in a modern integrated care system; the Somerset system will not be able to meet the needs of the population without resilient, flourishing GP services and so urgent action is now required to deliver national and local priorities.
Scam of the week: Euro Office Supplies purportedly e-mailed a practice claiming they had a “grossly” overdue account. Checking with actual company revealed it was a scam and that many of their customers have received similar emails from “Jane Law, Credit Control Lead.”
Somerset LMC Study Day 13th November - Transformation: Making Quality Care Easier: A full day for GPs and managers with presentations and workshops including primary care home, neighbourhood teams, finance and more to support practices as you tackle the transformation plans and secure your futures. Book your place now.
Kind Regards
Jill
Jill Hellens
Executive Director
Somerset LMC
Crown Medical Centre, Venture Way, Taunton, TA2 8QY
Tel: (01823) 331 428
Fax: (01823) 338 561
www.somersestlmc.co.uk
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