Somerset LMC Weekly Update Friday 15th September 2023
Date sent: Friday 15 September 2023
Sent to all Somerset GPs and Practice Managers This and previous updates are available here
- MD Soundbites!
- GPAS (General Practice Alert State)
- NHS England Suicide Prevention Toolkit
- Covid Medication Pathway
- EMIS Panic Button
- Somerset’s Weight Management Service
- ECO Flex Forms
- Completing DVLA Forms
- FCP Roadmap - Paramedics and Physiotherapists - UPDATED GUIDELINES
- Supporting Valproate ALL Patients- ACTION by 29th September
- The Essential Management of General Practice/Induction for PCN Managers & Staff (including ARRS roles)
- Safe Working in General Practice (BMA) This guidance is regularly updated with new items and suggestions
- Job Vacancies
Covid Medication Pathway: As a reminder the current community pathway for covid antiviral for patients at risk of Covid complications is as follows:
- Contact 111 for screening, any patient requiring assessment ( due to risk factors) will be referred to the Somerset CAS for assessment within 24 hours.
- Somerset CAS ( the CAS covid meds service runs 7 days per week 8.00 to 18.00) will assess for need to prescribing of first or second line covid medication.
- If first line covid medication is required the patient will be provided with a prescription and will collect medication from a community pharmacy
- If requiring second line covid medication the CAS will refer the patient to Somerset Primary Link who will refer onward to the SFT IV covid medication service currently via SHEPTON MALLET
- IV covid medication will be delivered at an agreed community hospital site by SFT ( Somerset Primary Link are able to book transport if the patient is eligible)
Notes
EMIS Panic Button: We previously communicated that the EMIS panic button was to be removed from Friday 29 September, however it has now been postponed until January 2024. If you would like to make a request for your organisation to retain the panic button functionality beyond January 2024, you now have until Tuesday 31st October 2023 to do so. You will need to log into EMIS now and complete the online form EMIS Web - Panic alerts in EMIS Web (emisnow.com) as part of the request, organisations will be required to acknowledge and accept responsibility for the known risks and limitations associated with the functionality.
Somerset’s Weight Management Service: A reminder that current information on Tier 2 and Tier 3 services can be found on Search (clarity.co.uk). As the Tier 2 service develops, we will update you.
Eco Flex Forms
GPs may be asked to complete an ECO4 Flex form, when a local authority has referred a patient that it considers to be living in fuel poverty or on a low income and vulnerable to the effects of living in a cold home. The form asks the GP to consider the patient’s medical health conditions and then recommend one of two routes; households identified as vulnerable to the cold or an individual suffering from severe or long-term ill health.This work is not covered within the core GMS contract and completing the form will require GPs to undertake a proper review of the patient’s notes. As such they are entitled to charge, as it is not a prescribed form under Sch. 2 of the GMS regulations.
Completing DVLA medical forms
Following an LMC query, colleagues should note that completing DVLA medical forms is not within the scope of the CNSGP medical negligence scheme in relation to any complaints or concerns that may arise from this work. This is private work, for which a fee is changeable, and colleagues should check with their Indemnity Organisation that they are covered separately for this work under their own or a practice-based policy
FCP Roadmap - Paramedics and Physiotherapists - UPDATED GUIDELINES: The Primary Care Academy have produced up to date and comprehensive guidelines incorporating recent verification changes for clinicians who have completed or need to complete the NHSE Roadmap. If your practice employs Paramedics or Physios (through ARRS or directly) in a First Contact role, then the documents, SW PCA FCP Updates Sep 2023 and What do the FCP changes mean for employers and training hubs, will be useful for understanding the Roadmap requirements and linking to available FUNDED FCP Masters module courses. If you have further questions please do get in touch with the FCP Supervision Fellows or Advanced Practice/Paramedic Lead ( Elizabeth Oxley, Jodie Smith - Supervision Fellows & Catherine Hayden - Paramedic Ambassador)
The Essential Management of General Practice/Induction for PCN Managers & Staff (including ARRS roles): This afternoon online training session on 27th September is designed for PCN managers and PCN staff (including ARRS roles) to provide an overview of general practice, contractual requirements and finances; and how this links with the PCN and strategic direction of the NHS. Book your place here.
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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