Somerset LMC weekly Update Friday 4th January 2019
Date sent: Friday 4 January 2019
All Somerset GPs and Practice Managers This and previous updates can be found here
- "Sticks in the sand" the latest blog from LMC Chairman Dr Nick Bray
- Good News! General Practice Transformation Funding Starting to Flow
- SARs
- Dermatology referrals
- Dispensing Quality Scheme (DSQS)
- Madopar Supply
- PAG Bites (snippets of shared learning from the performance advisory group)
- Bogus Calls
Good News! General Practice Transformation Funding Starting to Flow The CCG has now released the bulk of the £2m Transformation Funding allocation for the purposes agreed with the GP Board during the current financial year. The money mainly being used for the collaborative work under way in localities based on the NAPC Primary Care Home model but there are also resources to help practices ensure they have implemented the 10 High Impact Actions, to provide expert help with Service Improvements following practice visits, and to develop a new style of joint working with clinicians and support workers.
£319k proposed in a workstream to develop SPH as the driver for changing the capacity of general practice has not yet been agreed pending a meeting on “The Primary Care Provider Landscape” being held on 28thJanuary.
Because the work using Transformation funding started part-way through the year there will be an underspend on the budget. Practices have been asked to comment on a set of 10 options for the use of this money, and if you have not yet replied please note that the closing date is next Friday 11th at midday. This is part of the agreement and attracts a modest payment. Transformation Survey
Subject Access Requests This continues to vex practices. In the absence of better legal advice remember the absolute requirement that you “respond” to the SAR within one month. The responses allowable under GDPR are:
- You can comply fully
- You can contact the subject or representative and negotiate a targeted SAR
- You can require an extra two months to provide the data. They cannot complain or argue against this: it is the Data Controller’s absolute right.
- You can decline the request but you must explain why and explain how they can complain.
- You can offer differential access i.e. you can provide on-line access as a rapidly available option with the paper copies of the outstanding stuff to follow at a later date: a variation of 2. confirmed to GPC by the ICO,
Whatever you chose to do you must communicate it within the month (28 days to be safe). Under 2 preparing a targeted SAR may test the boundary of whether or not you are in fact creating a report. You must not be seen to be manipulating the data subject into making a payment for a report when they asked for a SAR. What is relevant might be copies of selected letters, a print out of principal or significant diagnoses and a list of medications and allergies, in other words similar to a referral letter.
The provision of online access would appear to be the best way forward in the long run, third party dangers notwithstanding. The LMC deeply resents the GDPR having turned practices into free photocopying and postal services for lawyers.
Dermatology referrals GPwSI and LMC Committee member Dr Jon Upton has reported on the basic information needed when making a referral which, surprisingly, is often absent in many letters and which can affect the patient’s outcome. An audit of referrals since September 2018 showed that of the 232 referrals received 19 (8) failed to mention the site of the lesion, 63 (27%) failed to mention the size, 147 (63%) did not comment on how long it had been present or the speed of its growth, 110 (47%) did not describe the lesion, 202 (87%) did not mention symptoms, 180 (77%) did not comment on pigmentation or absence thereof, 202 (86%) did not comment on any risk factors, 182 (78%) did not mention previous patient history and 212 (91%) did not mention any family history. To help us Dr Upton has devised a self-populating the dermatology EMIS template which the LMC will discuss next Thursday.
Dispensing Quality Scheme (DSQS) A dispensing practice which had submitted its DSQS 2017-18 (sic) information last April was surprised to hear this month that its audit had been deemed invalid and so nearly £10,000 was to be clawed back. This was the first that the practice had heard of it. Our colleagues are going to appeal against this late and seemingly arbitrary judgement but we would be interested to hear if any other practices have been similarly affected?
Madopar (co-beneldopa) The Department of Health and Social Care has sent an update about the supply of co-beneldopa. The manufacturer, Roche, is having difficulties with some of the Madopar range. This is due to an unforeseen increase in demand throughout 2018 but the situation is expected to improve in January. Madopar 125mg Dispersible Tablets was unavailable from mid-December but there is enough supply of Dispersible 62.5mg to meet additional demand during this time. Madopar 125mg Controlled Release Capsules will be limited stock until early January when further deliveries are expected. Other Madopar presentations remain unaffected at this time. The DH&SC added, “If patients are having difficulties obtaining supplies of Madopar we would recommend they see a clinician to discuss alternative treatment options” but the LMC view is that pharmacists should be the first port of call. Pharmacies have a dedicated helpline which might be worth reminding them about. No doubt things will improve after Brexit?
Bogus Calls we have received reports of bogus phone calls to practices claiming to be from BT open Reach internet and broadband stating there is a problem relating to the practice internet, any issues that practices are likely to have with their internet contact would be via IT support and not BT direct so please do ignore these calls.
A Very Happy and Healthy 2019 to all
Kind Regards
Jill
Jill Hellens
Executive Director
Somerset LMC
TEL: 01823 331428
Fax:01823 338561
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