Somerset LMC Weekly Update Friday 5th November 2021
Date sent: Friday 5 November 2021
Sent to all Somerset GPs and Practice Managers This and previous updates are available here
- BMA to Undertake an Indicative Ballot of Practices on Potential Action
- Practice Update on the Somerset GP Provider Board and the ICS
- Firearms Licensing
- Onward Referrals
- What the NHSEI Package Means for General Practice
- NHS Covid Pass: Medical Exemptions
- Colorectal Referral Hub
- The NHS Pension Scheme as a Sessional GP
- Autism & ADHD
- PGD Notice Board Update for Hep A, Hep A/B, Hep B & Low-dose Diphtheria, Tetanus and Inactivated
- Episode 53 of the free Somerset Emotional Wellbeing podcast, Happiness, is out now!
- And Finally......
- Job Vacancies
BMA TO UNDERTAKE AN INDICATIVE BALLOT OF PRACTICES ON POTENTIAL ACTION: The GPC is now seeking support to show Government and NHSEI that GPs and practices will not tolerate the unacceptable situation. BMA members can have their say on further potential actions to persuade ministers to give the real support needed for practices to care for patients properly over this difficult Winter and beyond. The indicative ballot opened on Monday based on the resolutions passed by GPCE in emergency session and includes questions on what practices might be prepared to do e.g.:
- participating in a coordinated and continuous withdrawal from the PCN DES at the next opt-out period
- disengaging, on a continuing basis, from the PCN DES before the next opt-out period
- not complying, on a continuing basis, with the contractual requirement for GPs earning over the earnings threshold declare their income or to provide COVID vaccination exemption certificates
- participating in a coordinated and continuous change to appointment books to impact the quality of the nationally reported appointment (GPAD) data.
It is important to stress that these actions are not directed at patients but at Government and NHSEI. The reminder letters will reach GP partner members / practices from 5th November, the electronic ballot will close 13th/14th November with the result on 18/19th November. The BMA is also preparing for a formal ballot of members on industrial action (IA) which for legal reasons cannot happen before six weeks after the emergency GPCE meeting two weeks ago. An indicative ballot before a formal ballot on IA means the BMA can garner views of practices on the proposed forms of actions sooner to keep the pressure up nationally in the interim. Richard Vautrey said, “General Practice is being pilloried and abused and there is a need to fight back... This is an extremely difficult time for us all. We must support one another and stand together. This is not going to be easy, but the BMA will do all in its power to back GPs at this time.”
FIREARMS LICENSING: Following the tragic events in Plymouth, new Firearms Licensing Guidance has been issued by the Home Office and came into force on 1st November. This had been under consideration and consultation for some time. The relevant sections regarding medical suitability start on page 6 section 2.24 and continue through to page 10 section 2.43. Guidance to the police - fitness to be entrusted with a firearm. There is now a statutory obligation for a medical report from a suitably qualified GMC registered doctor for every person who applies for a grant or renewal of a firearms or shotgun certificate. The responsibility for the decision about a person’s suitability to be granted a certificate remains with the police as the guidance makes clear. The police need to consider the medical report as part of the application process and to be considered with all other information in the application process plus that from other relevant enquiries conducted by the police. The Domestic Abuse Act now makes this an important consideration too. The BMA contributed to the guidance. We maintain that it is private work so GPs can charge the patient a fee, refuse the work or may object on conscientious grounds.
ONWARD REFERRALS: In this month’s Primary Care Matters the two trust directors for integrated and primary care draw attention to a letter from a consultant who, making an onward referral (outside the county) had been told only a GP referral could be accepted. The consultant retorted, “Whilst recognising the difficulties of an external… service, it is no longer possible to support any pathway that requires an unnecessary extra step for our overwhelmed primary care colleagues.”
Unfortunately one remaining problem within the hospital is that some AHP colleagues cannot use eRS and, as this is insisted upon, there is a risk that internal referrals made otherwise might get lost. Surprisingly even some ‘high-transit’ areas, like SALT and dietetics sending to gastroenterology, have not worked this out yet. To help our medical director colleagues sort this out it would be helpful if you could flag up these high volume teams wanting a GP rubber stamp referral to andrea.trill@somersetft.nhs.uk or Kathryn.patrick@ydh.nhs.uk
Full Primary Care Matters Newsletter
WHAT THE NHSEI PACKAGE MEANS FOR GENERAL PRACTICE: Practices may wish to read this very helpful (colour coded) analysis from the BMA.
NHS COVID PASS: MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS: The LMC have received a few queries regarding the exemption process and how practices enter onto the SCRa (summary care record application) to trigger the payment of £44.00, NHS Digital have a helpful step by step guide here and the GPC developed toolkit for practices here.
COLORECTAL REFERRAL HUB: We have publicised this welcome development before but it was delayed. It’s now going live next Monday, November 8th. Link
THE NHS PENSION SCHEME AS A SESSIONAL GP: GP Dr Krishan Aggarwal, a GPC England and Sessional GPs Committee member, and deputy chair of the BMA Pensions Committee, has written a webpage for sessional and locum GPs on the NHS pension scheme, which replaces his previous blogs on this issue. The webpage is going to be a live document and if there is anything you would like to be covered, please email the BMA at Sessionalgps.gpc@bma.org.uk The guidance sets out which pension tier to use, submitting the right forms, annualisation, the total rewards statement (TRS), the upcoming PCSE portal and how to escalate complaints to PCSE. The webpage is here.
Read the latest Sessional GPs newsletters here and here.
AUSTISM & ADHD: The CCG’s Dr Kate Stavely writes, “I suspect many are tired with being surveyed all the time but the substantial changes to the autism and ADHD pathways (part of a Special Educational Needs & Disability inspection) needs feedback from colleagues and parents. The attached links to short questionnaires can be used. Frustrated families could be directed to the parent survey. Parents/Family Survey. Professionals Survey
EPISODE 53 OF THE FREE SOMERSET EMOTIONAL WELLBEING PODCAST, HAPPINESS IS OUT NOW!: In Happiness, our hosts Dr. Andrew Tresidder and Dr. Peter Bagshaw discuss happiness in detail. During the conversation, they discuss the history of happiness, what actually makes us happy and how we can avoid common pitfalls as we seek happiness and life satisfaction.
And Finally.....
HOUSE OF COMMONS QUESTIONS TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE: (Tuesday) When asked by Dr Luke Evans MP what the correct percentage of face-to-face and remote appointments was, Mr Javid said: ‘In my mind, there’s no target [for the proportion of face-to-face appointments] … for me, it’s never been about, you know, “it should be 80% or 70%”. So it’s not about a number. It’s about doing the right thing. And ultimately I guess it’s about choice for the patient.’
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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