Somerset LMC Weekly Update Friday 22nd January 2016
Date sent: Friday 22 January 2016
All Somerset Senior Partners and Practice Managers This and previous updates can be found here
- Somerset Together- Yes But are We? Tuesday 9th February 7.30 PM Taunton Racecourse (supper from 6.45)
- South West Regional LMCs survey for the Special LMCs conference Saturday 30th January 2016
- Flu Update
- Roche Coagucheck Strips
- Emis DEM 004
- DSQS Face to Face DRUMS (dispensing practices only)
- Updated PGD and PSD guidance
- Download the Somerset LMC App
Somerset Together- Yes But are We? Tuesday 9th February 7.30 PM Taunton Racecourse (supper from 6.45)
It is fair to say that there still remains a wide variation in understanding of and commitment to OBC amongst us all. The aim of the meeting is to share information about OBC and to gauge which way Practices may choose to go at this stage. We hope that frank discussion will inform and empower Practices to make the right choice for their organisation whatever that may be. We would encourage as many GPs and Practices managers to attend this LMC practice-only event as the stated aim of the meeting is to present a list of questions to the CCG for formal response. Please book online https://www.somersetlmc.co.uk/events/1763
South West Regional LMCs survey for the Special LMCs conference Saturday 30th January 2016 In order to inform speakers of the strength of feeling within South West Regional LMC's we would appreciate a little of your time completing this simple survey which invites you to give an opinion on the lead motions to be debated https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/RQMM9NT
Flu Update
Mixed news You will be aware that ’flu is now circulating, and there has been one significant cluster in a school in the South West in which 1/3 of the staff and pupils have been affected, with some needing hospitalisation. The strain involved is H1N1 which is a component of this current vaccine, and this year its coverage of circulating strains is good. Public Health England ask that if you suspect there may be a cluster of cases developing, especially in a school or care home, viral swabs are sent to your local laboratory – positive isolates will be reported automatically to PHE.
Although the percentage uptake of immunisation in target groups both nationally and in Somerset is a little down, the actual number of patients protected is about the same as last year and we have seen slight improvements in the coverage of pregnant women and pre-school children. It’s worth remembering when we fret about the numbers that the UK flu immunisation programme, along with that in the Netherlands, is one of the two most successful in Europe – and probably therefore the world.
PHE report that community pharmacies provided only about 4% of the total number of flu immunisations given this year. They hope to collate all the figures to date on 31st January, so please can practices try to ensure that any notifications you have had from PharmOutcomes of flu jabs given by Community Pharmacy are recorded on your clinical systems by the end of the month.
Roche Coagucheck Strips There has been some confusion caused by recent correspondence sent to practices about an increase in the price of test strips, this DOES NOT effect the buying group deal that we have for Somerset practices which is in place until November 2016 when their will be a slight increase to the cost for practices from £96.76 to £97.68 for RPI inflation.
Emis DEM 004 Any EMIS practices involved in QOF should check the DEM004 subset in the Dementia QOF. There is a problem in some practices where the denominator is the total practice list size, not the number of patients on the register - hence shows 0/39 points accrued. If this affects you please contact EMIS to notify them
DSQS Face to Face DRUMS (dispensing practices only) Dispensing practices will have received an e mail from NHS England in reference to 50% of Drums to be within a specific target group, we have raised this with NHSE and they have replied with the following
We would like 50% of the 2015/2016 DRUMs to be in the 4 target groups we set out in our letter dated 9 July 2015. We will not penalise a practice if they have not reached this target but we would be grateful if practices could try to find a way to report these figures if possible. The most important criteria is that practices undertake DRUMs on at least 10% of their dispensing patients because this is one of the factors used for determining if they are eligible to receive the 2015/2016 DSQS payment.
If a practice is unable to provide us with a breakdown of their DRUM figures they should advise us of this when returning their Tranche 2 submission in April.
Kind Regards
Jill
Jill Hellens
Executive Director
Somerset LMC
TEL: 01823 331428
Fax:01823 338561
www.somersetlmc.co.uk
This message is confidential to the addressee(s) and may not be circulated further without the consent of the author. If you have received it in error please delete it and notify us by return. Somerset LMC recommendations are for guidance only and practices should take advice from their lawyer, defence organisation or other professional adviser as appropriate.
