Somerset LMC Weekly Update Friday 26th April 2024
Date sent: Friday 26 April 2024
Sent to all Somerset GPs and Practice Managers This and previous updates are available here
- MD Soundbites! New this week... meeting with Katie Bramall-Stainer
- GPAS (General Practice Alert State)
- Clinical News/Updates
- Cervical Screening
- COVID Therapeutics
- LARC Payments
- Intrauterine Devices for Endometrial Protection as Part of HRT
- Tier 2 Weight Management Options for Patients
- Transfer of Care from Paediatric to ADHD Team - Information for GP Partners/Salaried/Locums/Practice Managers
- Agenda For Change DHSC Payment - Practice Nurses
- Feedback on New Father's Project Proposal
- NHSE Funding Available for IP/NMP & GPN Fundamentals for 2024-25
- PCSE Seniority Payment Reconciliation Process
- Somerset Vaccination Service & Housebound Patients - Training/Events
- How does valuing diversity in our primary care teams positively impact care and team morale?
- South Somerset Primary Care Evening Meeting - Lessons learned from the diabetes recovery programme. How to improve the care of people with diabetes by reviewing processes
- Supporting Children Questioning their Gender - Safe Working in General Practice (BMA) This guidance is regularly updated with new items and suggestions
- Job Vacancies
- Somerset Emotional Wellbeing Podcasts
Clinical News/Updates
Cervical Screening: From a recent cervical screening meeting - please let the LMC know if there has been any problem for GPs obtaining a 2WW referral following on from a result from cervical screening that requires actioning. The colposcopy service is operating at full capacity and is trying to add extra clinics to address the backlog of cases. Please also remind staff that sample labelling is important - with the correct name and DOB. There seems to be an increase in incorrectly labelled samples.
COVID Therapeutics: The BMA have updated the GPC England COVID Therapeutics guidance. NICE and NHS England are increasing the eligible cohorts this June 2024 and some ICBs are considering decommissioning services with an expectation that GPs prescribe. This is not core general practice work and there are significant interactions between the first line treatment and many common medications. We therefore recommend that GPs do not agree to prescribe this unless as part of an appropriately commissioned service. Read the guidance here.
LARC Payments: The payment structure for LARCs will remain for the current contract until the 31st March 2025. Public Health are aware of concerns over the payment structure which is something that has been echoed nationally and they will be looking at this with NHS Somerset through the access to contraception workstream of the Women’s Health Hub development. Public Health are also involved in conversations regionally and nationally on a fair fitters fee and access to LARC for contraceptive and non-contraceptive purposes.
Intrauterine Devices for Endometrial Protection as Part of HRT: The LMC are also aware that SWISH have chosen to use Levosert 52mg LNG-IUD in women aged 40 years since 1st April 2024. Although Levosert is not licensed for endometrial protection as part of HRT, FSRH supports use of any 52mg LNG IUD for endometrial protection as part of HRT for 5 years.
Tier 2 Weight Management Options for Patients: In addition to the existing NHS digital weight management programme, the ICB have recently commissioned a 3 month programme of support through slimming world for adults with a BMI 30+ (27.5+ for people of Black African, African-Caribbean, and Asian origin). The form will be available through Teamnet.
Transfer of Care from Paediatric to ADHD Team: The LMC have had reports about a difficulty in paediatrics referring to the adult ADHD team, with a request for the GP to refer instead. The referral will be accepted directly from paediatrics to the Mendip Community Mental Health Team rather than the Adult ADHD service.
Information for GP Partners/Salaried/Locums/Practice Managers/Practice Nurses
Agenda For Change DHSC Payment - Practice Nurses: There have been articles published in the past month in some nursing journals regarding a ‘pay boost’ for practice nurses being funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. This relates to an initiative last year, where the Government offered staff on Agenda for Change pay scales a cash boost - information can be found here. We appreciate that the vast majority of practice nurses working in general practices are not working on Agenda for Change contracts which align with AfC pay scales, terms and conditions - those practices will not be eligible to receive the payment.
Feedback on New Father's Project Proposal: Dr Jo Nicholl would like as much feedback as possible on this new project that she is hopeful will be part of the Health Coaches role, please see the proposal here, and send any feedback to joanne.nicholl@nhs.net.
NHSE Funding Available for IP/NMP & GPN Fundamentals for 2024-25: NHS England has agreed to reimburse the tuition fees for 8 places on an Independent/Supplementary (NMP) Prescribing course and 8 places for Nurses to access a GPN Fundamentals Programme.
To take advantage of this opportunity please email Linda.Bickerton1@nhs.net, stating the practice name, applicant name, email address and programme details before applying for the course. Funding will be allocated on a ‘first come first served’ basis and practices will be notified by the Training Hub if funds have been approved and the next steps. Approved applicants must apply directly to the University of their choice and secure a place by 31st May 2024.
Somerset Vaccination Service & Housebound Patients: The Vaccination Service has asked practices to ensure patients who are housebound are coded as such, this will ensure they are included in relevant texts and the service can coordinate their vaccinations.
Training/Events
How does valuing diversity in our primary care teams positively impact care and team morale? Affina Organisation Development (AOD) are hosting a 1-hour webinar on 4th July 9.30-10.30 to explore diversity and inclusion through a team lens with Banji Adewumi, MBE, Director of EDI at the University of Greenwich. Drawing on her own experiences, Banji invites you to learn more about better valuing diversity and facilitating inclusion in your teams. Contact dani.cohen@affinaod.com to register your interest and please feel free to extend this invitation to any colleagues who might be interested.
South Somerset Primary Care Evening Meeting - Lessons learned from the diabetes recovery programme. How to improve the care of people with diabetes by reviewing processes: SGPET is pleased to have Catherine Cassell and Karen Baker from the diabetes recovery programme attending the evening on Tuesday 21st May (19.30-21.30). They will be passing on the knowledge they have gained from working with practices to improve their diabetes care, invaluable to us all in times of rising numbers and complexity of patients with diabetes. The meeting will be held at the Prince of Wales pub on Ham Hill and food will be provided. The evening is open to anyone in general practice involved in diabetes care, please book your place here.
Supporting Children Questioning their Gender: Three Lunchtime sessions during May and June delivered by Dr Jo Nicholl , Designated Doctor for Safeguarding Children and Lee Reed, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead Officer NHS Somerset, for further information and to book a place please see 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
General Practice in Somerset Great Place Great Potential
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