Somerset LMC Weekly Update Friday 23rd June 2023
Date sent: Friday 23 June 2023
Sent to all Somerset GPs and Practice Managers This and previous updates are available here
- MD Soundbites!
- Urgent - Digital Clinical Safety Update
- Update EMIS Panic Button Removal
- ProActive Physical Activity on Referral Scheme Update
- Men B Catch Up Immunisations
- Post Mortem Reports and Record of Inquests
- Radiation and Non-Medical Referrers
- Somerset Urgent Community Response
- Bariatric Surgery Survey
- Cross Sector Pre-Registration Pharmacy Technicians (PRPT)
- Safe Working in General Practice (BMA)
- Job Vacancies
Update EMIS Panic Button Removal: Practices wishing to have the EMIS “Panic Button” feature remaining after Friday 29th September must complete the online form within EMIS NOW. An alert was sent to practices on Friday 16th June which contains the link to the online form. As part of the process practices must acknowledge and accept responsibility for the known risks and limitations associated with its functionality.
ProActive Physical Activity on Referral Scheme Update: The ProActive scheme referral form has been updated for primary care and a new EMIS letter template is now available. The update form can be download from the Somerset E-templates site to continue making referrals from 23rd June 2023. All previous versions will not be accepted after Friday 14 July. Thank you for continuing to support the ProActive Physical Activity on Referral scheme in Somerset, should you have any queries relating to the scheme, please contact proactive@sasp.co.uk.
Men B Catch Up Immunisations: South West CHIS are making some small changes to the scheduling over the next week. In line with the changes to the Uncertain and Incomplete immunisation schedule they will be allowing all children who have not received a Hep B with their primary immunisation to be called for an additional Hep B, this change will look back at those previously not invited. (Highlighted on the schedule here). There are not high numbers of children involved with this. If your practice does have children who need vaccinating, the usual CQRS extraction will not pick these up. Please code with 170373003 (Administration of booster dose of Hepatitis B vaccine) and run a search to find them. You will need to submit a CQRS amendment form for payment.
On a general note, the changes to the next extract of data from practices, it is really important that the correct SNOMED codes are used to ensure the immunisations practices have given are extracted and added to the central database. If the wrong codes are added, it could mean that patients are recalled for vaccines they have already had, and they may be given duplicate vaccines.
Post Mortem Reports and Record of Inquests: The recent update regarding post-mortem reports states that pathologists will no longer automatically send final reports to medical practices. However, this does not mean that the coroner is preventing the sharing of post-mortem reports with GPs. The process of obtaining these reports has changed, and GPs now need to request them from the coroner via email instead of receiving them automatically. The reason for this change, which is consistent with practices in other jurisdictions, is that post-mortem reports may be used as evidence in inquests. Therefore, the coroner needs to exercise judicial discretion in determining which evidence is relevant to the inquest and should be disclosed in compliance with the law. The decision to disclose such information remains a judicial one and cannot be delegated to coroners' officers or mortuary staff. GPs can also request a copy of the Record of Inquest (ROI) via email once the proceedings have concluded. Although the ROI contains public records of the findings and outcome of the proceedings, it is not readily available and will only be disclosed upon written request using the designated email address (coroner@somerset.gov.uk).
Radiation and Non-Medical Referrers: Before now each trust had its own interpretation of the regulations and requirements and practitioners had to satisfy each of the Trust requirements if they requested from multiple organisations. Working with SFT has led to a fantastic opportunity for a system-wide approach. They have developed a standardised NMR policy.
Included in the appendices are -
- template communications you can expect to receive from SFT when requesting NMR status or having a role approved.
- template SOP - SFT would like you to adapt and work to.
- Template learning contract and competency framework - SFT need this to confirm that training / education has been assessed and is appropriate to the role and the practice of the NMR.
There is also a requirement for all NMRs to update their IR(ME)R training every 3 years by completing Radiation Regulations updates through E learning for health. SFT are also checking for compliance with this, please could all NMRs check their compliance as this is a legal requirement under IRMER and failure to update may result in removal from the NMR register. Any queries please do contact catherine.hayden@nhs.net.
Bariatric Surgery Survey: The LMC are receiving increasing queries and would be grateful if practices could complete this short survey to indicate the number of requests received and how they have been managed to date in order to have conversations with the ICB on how these patients are managed in the future.
Cross Sector Pre-Registration Pharmacy Technicians (PRPT): We are anticipating employer funding to be released for a further cohort of cross sector PRPT apprenticeships to start in early 2024. We would like to put forward a bid for a number of places in Somerset, to develop skilled pharmacy technicians within primary care and community pharmacy settings. The request for bids is likely to happen this summer with a quick turnaround time so ahead of this we want to find out who would be interested in taking on one or more trainees in the 2024 cohort. If you think this may be of interest in your organisation please reply to let me know. We are not asking for full commitment at this stage but would like to get a sense of possible numbers. If you would like any further information, please feel free to contact me. Tracey.duckett2@nhs.net.
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
Follow us on Twitter
Download the App
General Practice in Somerset Great Place Great Potential
We have updated our privacy policies on both the Somerset LMC and Somerset GP Education trust websites.
