Somerset LMC Weekly Update Friday 2nd September 2022
Date sent: Friday 2 September 2022
Sent to all Somerset GPs and Practice Managers This and previous updates are available here
- Practices to Focus and Reflect on Wellbeing - 9 September
- News from the GPC
- GP ‘bureaucracy busting concordat’
- Dentistry Issues
- Deceased Patient Notes
- Discrimination and Harassment Survey
- Lunchtime Webinars - Preparing for Prospective (Future) Record Access
- Free Legal Surgery Sessions with Veale Wasbrough Vizards 21st September
- And Finally.....
- Job Vacancies
Practices to Focus and Reflect on Wellbeing - 9 September: Practices will have received an email from the BMA following the recent death of Dr Gail Milligan, a GP in Surrey. We are all encouraged to learn from this and reflect on how we can support ourselves and each other in not only managing our workload but improving our wellbeing. Please find a link to their email which is encouraging practices to spend time on September 9th one day prior to World Suicide Prevention Day, focusing on their own wellbeing and identifying the best ways of supporting each other’s mental health.
There are different ways to do this. It has to be right for your practice and we hope would include your entire primary health care team. Please ensure if you do plan to offer a reduced service in this time you must be supported by your PPG. There is a template letter for your convenience.
We are pleased to report that we are working with our ICB colleagues to support practices with temporary closures for learning and reflection on a regular basis and to make this part of the primary care strategy
We would like to remind you all of the support currently available in Somerset:
- Somerset LMC Pastoral Service
- Funded Counselling with Hammett Street consultants
- Somerset Safehouse
- GP Career Plus
- Practitioner Health
- Somerset Emotional Wellbeing
News from the GPC:
Government’s reported plan for GPs to prescribe heating bill discounts is 'beggars belief' In response to the report that GPs would be asked by government to 'write prescriptions for money off energy bills', David Wrigley, GPC England deputy chair, said: “We completely reject any suggestion that GPs do this work. They do not have the time or the skills to do the work of the welfare system. At a time when GPs are already overwhelmed with the greatest workforce crisis and are supporting patients on hospital waiting lists which are longer than ever, this addition to their workload would be totally unacceptable. It is beggars belief that government ministers think it is appropriate to suggest GPs undertake it. The government has not discussed this with us in any form - floating these sorts of proposals via the media is deeply unprofessional.” Read the full statement here
PCNs – clarification on CQC registration Following concerns and some confusion at local level regarding PCNs (Primary Care Networks) and CQC (Care Quality Commission) registration, the following clarification has been provided by CQC:
‘It is important to remember that only legal entities can register with CQC. If a provider is a collaborative, such as a PCN, and is not a legal entity then it cannot carry out regulated activities and therefore it cannot be registered with CQC. In a situation where a PCN is not a legal entity, and the constituent members are already registered with CQC for the delivery of regulated activities they provide as part of the network (including extended access) they will not need to register separately from the constituent practices, however it is advised that providers amend their statement of purpose to accurately reflect the additional roles they will assume as a participant member of a PCN.
In a situation where a new or currently unregistered provider organisation is formed as a legal entity AND the organisation will have ongoing direction and control of the delivery of regulated activities it would be required to register with CQC. If a PCN becomes a legal entity but does not directly control and deliver regulated activities (for example by supplying staff to assist constituent practices to deliver their regulated activities) there is no need to register with CQC. Please note that new applications for registration can take up to 10 weeks to process. The exact timeframe will depend upon the complexity of the application and the availability of key information requested by the registration inspector.’
In addition to this statement, GPC England officers and staff will be working with CQC to develop and publish responses to a range of FAQs addressing PCNs and registration.
GP ‘bureaucracy busting concordat’: Last week the Government published its GP ‘bureaucracy busting concordat’, which outlines seven principles to help reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and administrative burdens in general practice. Developed with input from the BMA, the concordat includes principles around medical evidence, certification and designing processes around ease of use for both GPs and patients.
Dentistry Issues: We have had increasing reports from practices regarding dental requests from patients. After some investigations it appears that the problem is not with NHS111 but with the service they refer onto “SMILE”. If you have experienced any such request, please could you let the LMC know by email somersetlmc.office@nhs.net, providing the NHS number of the patient for their journey to be investigated. This link explains legal and contractual obligations for GPs.
Deceased Patient Notes: We have received queries from practices on the storage of deceased patient notes, PCSE have now confirmed they will be collecting legacy paper records. Practices will have to ask for them back on the rare occasions they get an Access to Health records.
Discrimination and Harassment Survey: Somerset LMC has adopted a London Wide Discrimination and Harassment survey which we hope can be completed by every clinical and non-clinical person working in general practice. We all deserve to work in an environment that is safe, welcoming and free from bullying, harassment and discrimination. No one has ever asked everyone working in Somerset’s General Practice about their experience, until now. Somerset LMC and Somerset Training Hub will use the results of the survey to identify if there are any areas Somerset could do better in, and we will consider how we can help to support this. Thank you for your time and support in completing this survey. closing date Friday 7th October 2022.
Lunchtime Webinars - Preparing for Prospective (Future) Record Access : Prospective (Future) Records Access is an NHS England initiative supported by NHS Digital and it will allow patients to view their GP records going forward from 1 November via the NHS app. This webinar will provide background information, what practices need to know and what they need to do in preparation for implementation. Everyone working in a practice is encouraged to learn about the changes, how it will affect them and patients. Tracy Brinson, Information Governance Lead Officer at NHS Somerset is presenting this webinar on two dates for us; Tuesday 11th October and again on Thursday 20th October both from 1-2pm. To book your place please click on the dates.
Free Legal Surgery Sessions with Veale Wasbrough Vizards 21st September: 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 and we have arranged a time when Oliver Pool from VWV will be at the LMC office in Taunton to chat to Somerset practices in 40 minute slots. If you would like to book one of these 1-2-1 legal advice sessions please email jsharp@VWV.co.uk , further details can be found here.
And Finally….
Singing is good for you! (Message from Dr Rebecca Hall): As you all learned when we were babes singing is good for the brain, in order to maintain our own glowing inner and outer selves we should be singing with Wells Cathedral Chamber Choir. We meet to rehearse most Thursday evenings in Wells Cathedral’s Song School and sing about 40 services per year. These are the best opportunity you will ever get for simultaneously belting out that stress (to a high standard) and soaking up a deep and ancient peace. We’re holding our annual auditions in all voices on 21st September 2022, so if you’d like to join us please get in touch through the choir website or contact Simon Birkett: chamberchoir@wellscathedral.org.uk. You can also find us on Facebook .
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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