Somerset LMC Weekly Update Friday 5th May 2023
Date sent: Friday 5 May 2023
Sent to all Somerset GPs and Practice Managers This and previous updates are available here
- MD Soundbites!
- News from the GPC
- Add-on Tests and Sample Stability
- Clinical Correspondence Management
- Rheumatology SFT Contact Details
- Primary Care Mask Guidance
- Somerset's Discrimination and Harassment Survey and Webinar
- NHSE (HEE) New and Continuing Advanced Practice Funding Offers
- Access to Medicine Survey
- Safe Working in General Practice (BMA)
- External Un-Resourced Workload - Tops Tips...
- Can be found here. This week...
Friends and Family Data - Job Vacancies
Add-on Tests and Sample Stability: Although, the laboratory generally keeps samples for up to a week, some tests can only be added-on in a much shorter timeframe, due to instability of the analyte. Please see the table for details of which tests may only be added-on within a restricted time window.
Clinical Correspondence Management: Medicine Management have reported feedback highlighting concerns about medication changes by non-clinicians without appropriate safeguards being in place. The clinician is responsible for making sure that actions are taken when appropriate. Non-clinicians can do some tasks if there are appropriate safeguards in place. Usually, medication changes should be made by the GP or an appropriate prescriber. Trained non-clinical staff can make medication changes provided there is an effective system in place for an appropriate prescriber to review the changes before the prescription is issued.
Rheumatology SFT Contact Details: The guidance below summarises the options available to contact this team. There are five main ways that advice is requested:
- Letter
- Advice and guidance
- Email via rheumatologysecretaries@Somersetft.nhs.uk . These are triaged and then sent an appointment / bloods
- Telephone the department on 01823342176 / 343097 between 11.30 am and 3.30 pm Monday to Friday
- Single point of contact for emergency advice, if you cannot get hold of anyone – Dr Luke Gompels, Clinical Service Lead 07824451702 or Luke.Gompels@somersetft.nhs.uk
Somerset's Discrimination and Harassment Survey and Webinar: In Sept 2022, Somerset Training Hub and LMC carried out a Somerset’s Discrimination and Harassment Survey. Some of our findings included:
- 14.4% of people responding from Somerset said they experienced some type of discrimination or harassment due to their personal characteristics at work last year.
- 5.07% said they experienced racial harassment or discrimination from patients and 2.21% from colleagues or managers.
- 6% of recent instances of racial discrimination were reported, but ALL said the issue was not dealt with well.
On Wednesday 17th May 2023 1-1.45pm, Jon Dolman, Taku Chinomona and Catherine Ievers will present a webinar on the findings of this survey. We hope that this webinar will provide a platform to hear your thoughts on what differences we could all make to promote equality and support our general practice workforce. To register for the webinar, please book here.
NHSE (HEE) New and Continuing Advanced Practice Funding Offers: All NHSE (HEE) funded Advanced Practice Trainees - new for 2023 and continuing - should have received an email (also sent to employers via named Educational Supervisor) containing their conditional funding offer this week. This email also contains important information and deadlines regarding next steps to meet these conditions. If you have NOT received an offer and believe you should have please urgently contact Somerset Training Hub Advanced Practice Lead: catherine.hayden@nhs.net.
Access to Medicine Survey: You may be interested in participating in this survey which focuses on widening access to doctors in medicine. NHSE wish to understand what activity is undertaken to support the future workforce of doctors within the NHS, to inform future plans. The survey is now open and will close on the 12th May.
Safe Working in General Practice (BMA)
External Un-Resourced Workload: Practices do not have capacity to undertake work passed to general practice from outside agencies. This may include non-contractual work coming from secondary care that is not resourced. For example, undertaking tests or referrals on behalf of secondary care providers. Templates for pushing back inappropriate workload can be found here.
Top Tips...
Friends and Family Data: Please remember to submit your Friends and Family Test data onto CQRS by the 12th of each month. Here is a link to the guidance for practices.
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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