Somerset LMC Weekly Update Friday 14th October 2022
Date sent: Friday 14 October 2022
Sent to all Somerset GPs and Practice Managers This and previous updates are available here
- MD Reflections – After a Proper Week!
- BMA Guidance on Safe Working in General Practice
- Guide for Future Access to Records
- Proposed Repeal of the IR35 Tax Reforms
- Statutory Medical Examiner System Update (SMES)
- Message to Practice Managers from the BMA - Survey on How Inflation and Energy Costs are Impacting your Practice
- Introducing the Dr Martyn Hughes Prize Awards for Innovation in Education
- Compassionate Leadership for Practice Managers in the NHS - Course Invite
- Music Video - A Tribute to the NHS
- Job Vacancies
MD Reflections – After a Proper Week! Hello everyone and thank you for the e-mails of support that I have received over the last week. I have met some amazing people since starting in this role, all with the fundamental desire to do what is right for others, provide the best possible care in primary care and continue to overcome overwhelming challenges. The NHS will face immense levels of challenge this winter but it has been heartening to see the desire within the ICS to work with the LMC to facilitate joint working on areas such as the Primary Care Strategy for Somerset, supporting practices with facilities challenges and programmes such as Hospital @ Home (H@H). It has been impressive to see system partners working to maximise opportunities for patients to stay at home when patients are affected by frailty, heart failure and respiratory problems. These programmes are hampered by the NHS workforce challenge but progress is being made.
When practices face considerable challenges about their future some are looking at innovative ways of working. One such approach is becoming an employee-owned trust (EOT). We aim to work with Dr Ed Ford, GP in Minehead and ex-chair or the Somerset CCG to hold a webinar in the near future to learn more about this after he adopted this in his practice in Minehead. It is a new concept to me – you may find the following links helpful.
Employee ownership in medical practices: The hows and whys – and whether all GPs should be considering it?
“John Lewis-style” ownership model empowers staff, says trailblazing GP surgery
It is great to be working with you. Please reach out to me on justin.geddes2@nhs.net if there is information you would like to share or items you want me to be aware of. Until next week!
Have a good weekend.
Best wishes
Justin
BMA Guidance on Safe Working in General Practice: This has been updated to preserve patient care and practice staff wellbeing so that in these unprecedented times General Practice can prioritise care, and deprioritise certain aspects of their day to day activity, within the confines of the GMS contract.
Guide for Future Access to Records: Please find attached a quick reference guide put together by Tracy Brinson the Information Governance Lead Office at NHS Somerset. It includes the steps to be taken prior to the 1 November introduction to patients having access to their online record. The LMC have one more webinar on Thursday 20 October at 1pm please book via this link . This link takes you to the LMC website with further information on the Future Access to Records.
Proposed Repeal of the IR35 Tax Reforms: As part of the recent ‘mini-budget’ the government announced that it intends to repeal the 2017 and 2021 IR35 reforms of the IR35 off-payroll working rule. The changes are expected to come into force from April 2023 and, once confirmed, the BMA will produce further guidance in due course.
Statutory Medical Examiner System Update (SMES): Earlier in the year, Mendip ran the first pilot for Medical Examiner’s ahead of its national roll out. This month it is being extended into Frome and West Mendip PCNs. You may notice that the new EMIS template has been simplified. HM Coroner, Samantha Marsh has confirmed that all deaths whose cause is notifiable under the Notification of Death regulations, should be referred via SMES. However, an agreement has been made that the referral can be made to SMES using the Electronic Death Reporting Form (EDRF) used for coronial referrals, which can then forwarded on once the cause of death is agreed. Cases where the cause of death is unknown can have the EDRF sent directly to HMC as it is unlikely an ME is going to add anything. Cases where someone has died suddenly in the community and have been dealt with by Police, do not need to be referred to SMES by the GP. Please see a summary of workflow, a basic poster to be displayed in staff areas only in GP practices (a hard copy will be sent out to practices soon) and this general ME presentation aimed at general audiences.
Message to Practice Managers from the BMA - Survey on How Inflation and Energy Costs are Impacting your Practice:
Dear Practice Manager
We know GP practices across England are feeling the impact of inflation and high energy costs, and we want to hear about your practice’s experiences. Please complete our survey so that we can collect the evidence we need to advocate on your behalf.
The survey asks for a range of information relating to practice costs including energy, staffing and other expenses. While we would encourage you to complete the whole survey, if you do not yet have all the information asked for, please still complete the parts you can.
We need to hear from as many practices as possible to enable us to make a strong case to NHSE/I, DHSC and the Government to seek solutions. The survey closes on 20th October.
Introducing the Dr Martyn Hughes Prize Awards for Innovation in Education: Have you got an idea for an education session? As you are all aware, Martyn Hughes recently retired. Martyn was one of the founding members of Somerset General Practice Education Trust (SGPET) and a pioneer of primary care education. Martyn was passionate about education and the evolution of education to encompass the rich diversity of professionals working together in Somerset. Martyn and the LMC are awarding three prizes of £250 to support the development of an education idea to be delivered in Somerset. If you work in Somerset and have an idea that you think would make a good education session such as informing your colleagues about your role and how you can support them or an example of good practice that would be of benefit to all to know then please submit your ideas to lmc.sgpet@nhs.net by 1 November 2022.
Music Video - A Tribute to the NHS: Dr Alex Watson, a GP in Ashtead and Leatherhead in Surrey, wanted to share a song that he wrote earlier this year called ‘Change’ about the impact of the COVID pandemic. It is intended to be a tribute to the NHS and all those health and care workers who lost their lives. The final production can be seen via this link .
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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