Somerset LMC Weekly Update Friday 27th September 2019
Date sent: Friday 27 September 2019
Sent to all Somerset GPs and Practice Managers This and previous updates are available here
- The Rime of the Ancient Physician the latest blog from LMC Chairman Dr Nick Bray
- Network News
- Notes from the Somerset GP Board meeting 25th September 2019
- Fire arms consultation response
- Diabetic Checks
- Flu Vaccine
- Flu Vaccine 2020/21
- PAG Bites
- Capita Incorrectly archived Records
- Travax
- GP "Speed Dating" Recruitment Afternoon and Evening
Network News…
PCN Services Launch: The BMA have now launched their support services for PCNs
The main focus is on the following elements:
- PCN Community
- PCN Conference
- Legal Services
- HR Services
- Insurance Services
- Learning and Development
More information on all of the above and how to sign up can be found here. There is a blog from Dr Krishna Kasaraneni setting out the details here.
Fire arms consultation response: On 17 September the BMA and the RCGP submitted a joint response to the Home Office consultation on statutory guidance to police on firearms licensing. The BMA and the RCGP have worked collaboratively with the Home Office and other key stakeholders including the National Police Chiefs Council to improve the system for firearms licensing with the core aim of improving safety for the public whilst also recognising the professional and resource implications for doctors.
The response includes a significant number of changes that they believe would be helpful to ensure that the guidance can be effectively implemented at a local level by police authorities. Their priority has been to provide a response in sufficient detail that the perspectives of frontline GPs can be fully recognised, particularly as this consultation is in relation to statutory guidance. The consultation response also includes a flowchart on firearms licensing that is intended as a helpful guide for GPs and police authorities to follow through the various stages of the licensing process.
Diabetic Checks: Between 1st October - 31st January 2020 the national Community Pharmacy Quality scheme has commissioned Pharmacies to check whether all patients with Diabetes have had a foot and eye check in the last 12 months. Patients who have not will normally be signposted to their GP practice. This means that there will another string to our bow to getting better care for an often hard to reach cohort of diabetic patients.
Flu Vaccine: The LMC and Local Pharmaceutical Committee (LPC) learned with concern that certain suppliers have delayed their already staggered Flu vaccine deliveries this season. This is very disappointing and will cause disruption to planned flu clinics. The LMC and LPC believe that patients are best served when Community Pharmacies and GP practices work together on healthcare campaigns. Therefore we recommend that practices and pharmacies encourage patients to maintain their first planned preference for getting the vaccine. The LMC and LPC believe that, by working together, Somerset will have sufficient vaccines, even with the delays, to improve overall vaccination rates this year.
PAG Bites:The Performance Advisory Group had no Somerset cases to discuss this month. PAG recognises that most complaints are dealt with by Practice Managers or admin team members. But it is important to remember that the GPs are ultimately responsible for the content of the response and its clinical input. There are useful resources available on NHS Resolutions website including about how to say sorry which does not compromise you under the GMC Duty of Candour or the Compensation Act 2006.
Capita Incorrectly archived Records: You will be aware that we recently released a statement regarding the PCSE incident whereby thousands of patient medical records were incorrectly archived instead of being sent to the subsequent GP practices. These records have now been sent back to practices, and NHS England is expecting those practices to undertake an assessment of harm for each patient affected. Practices affected will have received a list of NHS Numbers of the patients whose record was delayed.
GPC England was in discussions with NHS England to highlight the impact this would have on practices and their patients. They were clear that practices should receive the necessary support to cover the additional costs of dealing with a problem for which they are not to blame to ensure that GPs and other practice staff are not taken away from direct patient facing provision.
Unfortunately, NHS England was not prepared to provide the amount of funding that they believe is necessary to cover GP and practice staff time required to do this assessment properly, and GPC England was not prepared to agree to a settlement which they believed would not fully compensate practices for the problems created by Capita.
As a result, they are looking for practices to join their potential legal action. Practices will need to complete the pro forma and send them to the BMA via info.gpc@bma.org.uk in order to sign up to the case. They will then collate the necessary information to take forward a legal action.
Travax: The LMC have for some years funded the membership for all practices to be able to access the Travax website, following the recent travel update with Jane Chiodini the recommended site for advice is now NaTHNaC and also Jane Chiodinis website both of which are free to the user. Having surveyed the Nurses on their use of Travax it has become apparent that the majority now use NaTHNac, therefore the decision has been made to no longer fund Travax membership and instead use the money to fund other resources for practices.
GP "Speed Dating" Recruitment Afternoon and Evening: If you are thinking about partnership, salaried or retainer posts but not sure where to begin, and are not sure what your next steps are then help is at hand and your questions can be answered during Wednesday 16th October at Dillington House. If you are a GP or GP trainee who may be looking for a role in a Somerset then come and meet up with Practices and the LMC to discuss the various options and vacancies that are current or may be occurring in the next 18 months. There are two sessions available; 16.45-18.45 for ST3 GPs and 19.15-21.15 for both ST3 GPs and established GPs.
For further details and to book a place on one of the sessions please go to your preferred time: Afternoon Recruitment Session or Evening Recruitment Session.
Practices that would like to book a stand to advertise a vacancy please email sarah.johns@nhs.net.
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.somersetlmc.co.uk
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