Somerset LMC Weekly Update Friday 21st January 2022
Date sent: Friday 21 January 2022
Sent to all Somerset GPs and Practice Managers This and previous updates are available here
- Infection Protection & Control Guidance Remains in Primary Care Settings
- Important - tQuest/Ordercomms Requests for Community Nursing Staff to Take Samples
- MSK Physio Booking Office at SFT
- Somerset Physical Activity on Referral Scheme Consultation Event for Health Professionals/Referrers
- National Cleaning Standards 2021
- NHS Pensions Type 2 Medical Practitioner Self Assessment of Tiered Contributions 20/21
- GP Appraiser Recruitment
- Free Legal Surgery Sessions with Veale Wasbrough Vizards 10th February
- No Jab, No Job – Vaccine Requirements for Somerset Practice Staff Q&A Session - 27th January
- And Finally...
- Job Vacancies
Infection Protection & Control Guidance Remains in Primary Care Settings: Following the Government announcement that from Thursday 27th January face coverings will no longer be mandatory in public places, NSHEI reminded primary care colleagues that the UK Health Security Agency's infection prevention control (IPC) guidance remains in place for all staff and patients in GP practices, dental practices, optometrists and pharmacies. Please continue to encourage patients to wear a face covering to keep staff and other patients safe. Resources supporting IPC guidance, including social media assets and posters to use at entrances to notify visitors that they need to wear a face covering, are available to download from the Campaign Resource Centre.
Important - tQuest/Ordercomms Requests for Community Nursing Staff to Take Samples: Please be aware that District Nurses cannot see the clinical problem when receiving sample requests so this needs to be considered when sending through a request. The date the test is required is often left unfilled so if it needs to be done either urgently or in the future (e.g. for a repeat of a previous test) GPs will need to specify a date. If they do not specify a date, the standard procedure is that the test will be done within 5 working days depending on staff availability.
MSK Physio Booking Office at SFT: SFT have asked us to remind practices that they do not run a self-referral service, the patient has an initial contact/assessment with a GP/FCP who, following assessment, gives them the booking office number and an urgency code 1 or 2. 1 urgent 2 routine.
Somerset Physical Activity on Referral Scheme Consultation Event for Health Professionals/Referrers: There are significant changes coming to Exercise Referral in Somerset due to the effects of COVID on the health needs of the population and the need to operate differently. With this in mind, there will be additional funding going into exercise referral to try and support the scheme with upskilling delivering staff through the GP Exercise Referral qualification and for additional qualifications to expand the Somerset offer.
The scheme will be completely re-vamping the processes and procedures for this scheme, which will allow more opportunity for clients and referral options alike.
Somerset County Council are asking for a representative from the practice/clinical setting who are able to attend a meeting on the 27th January 1.30-2.30PM on Teams to input suggestions and comments about how to collaboratively make this scheme more successful, accessible and beneficial to refer into in the future. Any queries should be directed to LCurry@somerset.gov.uk.
National Cleaning Standards 2021: We have received a number of enquiries about resources for Primary Care and the National Cleaning Standards. There is a page dedicated on the LMC website called “ The National standards of healthcare cleanliness 2021 ” there you will find the national standards and templates also, templates and guidance for Primary Care. The IP&C team from the CCG have offered 1-1 support for practices to help with the implementation, if you wish to discuss or require further information on somccg.infectionpreventioncontrolteam@nhs.net.
NHS Pensions Type 2 Medical Practitioner Self Assessment of Tiered Contributions 20/21: It’s that time of year again. This is a reminder that the deadline is 28th February 2022. The was hope that this could be done online rather than completing the excel spreadsheet, but PCSE are having some technical issues. Here is the link for the form, Information for practitioners and non-GP providers | NHSBSA and more info on this can be found on PSCE or The NHS pension scheme as a sessional GP (bma.org.uk).
GP Appraiser Recruitment: NHS England are inviting doctors who are on the performers list to apply to become a Medical Appraiser within NHS England South West (South Gloucester, Bristol, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and IOS, Dorset, BANES, Gloucester, Swindon & Wiltshire) working within a local geographical location. Full detail can be found here.
Free Legal Surgery Sessions with Veale Wasbrough Vizards 10th February: Practices may remember the complimentary surgery sessions we held with Ros Lockhart from Lockharts solicitors at the LMC office that proved to be very popular. Since Lockharts merged with Veales Wasborough these have been re-instated remotely until we can all meet again face to face, if you would like to book one of these sessions please see further details here where you will find a query sheet to complete and return direct to Sandeep Saib at VWV.
No Jab, No Job – Vaccine Requirements for Somerset Practice Staff Q&A Session: Adrian Poole at Porter Dodson is delivering the online seminar on Thursday 27th January at 11.00, if you haven't already booked a place please go to our events page here .
And Finally...
Request of the week sent in from a practice from a patient’s family, the mental health team involved in patient’s care have advised them to ask the GP write a letter to support the fact the patient is getting a therapy cat (at their suggestion to calm them) and the cat will need to be with them at all times. The example given was if she flies, the cat will need to sit on her lap (good luck with that).
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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