Somerset LMC Weekly Update Friday 14th June 2024
Date sent: Friday 14 June 2024
Sent to all Somerset GPs and Practice Managers This and previous updates are available here
- MD Soundbites!
- GPAS (General Practice Alert State)
- Clinical News/Updates
- AI for Suspected Skin Cancer Referrals - SFT
- Clinisys ICE Ordercomms - Change to Go-Live Date
- Inclisiran Update
- Routine Falls Referral Pathway Changes - Information for GP Partners/Salaried/Locums/Practice Managers
- BMA – “GPs Are On Your Side”
- CHIS Childhood Immunisation Letters - Training/Events
- It Pays To Go Green - How Sustainability Can Save Money and Lives in Your Organisation Webinar - Safe Working in General Practice (BMA) This guidance is regularly updated with new items and suggestions
- Job Vacancies
- Top Tips - click here
- MMR Shingrix
- National Funding Framework (NFF)
Clinical News/Updates
AI for Suspected Skin Cancer Referrals - SFT: From 17 June, a new service will be available to aid the triaging of suspected skin cancer referrals. Patients will be offered an appointment with a Clinical Photographer who will take digital dermoscopic pictures of the lesion which will then be looked at by an AI device and a dermatologist. Depending on the result patients will either be discharged back to primary care with a report from the consultant, will proceed to a face-to-face appointment, or be booked for surgery. We are anticipating that this service will make the pathway faster for the patient and also reduce consultant time.
The main points are as follows:
- A new Skin Cancer form and PIL will be available from 27 May on C The Signs, please continue to make your referrals via this route
- The new AI supported service will go live on 17 June
- Please complete all the information on the form, including the body/face maps.
- If a patient has an exclusion for AI dermoscopy, they will be given a F2F appointment. (NB cognitive impairment is only an exclusion if significant)
Further details can be found here including exclusion criteria.
Clinisys ICE Ordercomms - Change to Go-Live Date: SFT and SPH previously communicated that the Ordercomms system switch to Clinisys ICE for pathology would take place in July. After reviewing the timelines for the project, they are postponing ‘go live’ until early Autumn.
The process to switch is a complex one and involves the connection or integration with several other systems. The decision to postpone is driven by a need to ensure that all systems are properly aligned so that patient safety is not compromised.
They have been encouraged by the engagement with our primary and secondary care colleagues over the last few weeks and would like to say thank you for this. They are keen to stress that this programme will not slow down but that the delay in the go live date means that they will have more time to address any concerns and for training across Primary and Secondary care to embed.
While it is important to complete the switch as soon as possible in order to comply with the significant demands placed on the system, patient safety and the wellbeing of our colleagues and healthcare partners is also paramount. They will be using this time to engage fully with everyone involved and the confirmed ‘go live’ date will be announced to you as soon as we are able to commit to this.
They will continue to update the TeamNet Clinisys ICE for Primary Care page for primary care colleagues. Information on how you can start preparing for the switch will be available on these pages, and if you have any questions please contact Tanya Fitzer, project manager at tanya.fitzer@somersetft.nhs.uk or Karen Baker at karen.baker56@nhs.net.
Inclisiran Update: We would like to highlight our previous steer that primary care should avoid prescribing Inclirisan until we have successfully negotiated a guaranteed long-term funding stream for this work with our ICB. This is consistent with advice from other LMCs 1085922 (bmj.com) including Wessex Understanding Inclisiran - Wessex LMCs. In the interim, you can choose to take on this additional work, but you should not feel under pressure to do so. You can decline these requests and your LMC will be there to support you. There are still widespread concerns with the manner and speed with which NHS England have attempted to push a black triangle injectable into usage and there are still a number of questions, raised by both GPCE and the RCGP, on which NHS England has yet to provide a satisfactory response.
Routine Falls Referral Pathway Changes: The pathway for falls referral will change so that it is quicker and simpler. Rather than going via SPL and being triaged out, ALL routine falls referrals will now be required to go via the standard CRS referral form from 3rd June 2024. If there are any queries in the interim, please contact Helen.Hutchinson@somersetft.nhs.uk.
Information for GP Partners/Salaried/Locums/Practice Managers
BMA – “GPs Are On Your Side”: The BMA have produced a public facing information campaign for patients. This link will take you to the campaign materials and more information regarding the campaign. There are posters, leaflets and social media material. It will be followed up by an infographic video for waiting rooms and PPG Power Point slideshow.
CHIS Childhood Immunisation Letters: CHIS are pleased to share that we can now offer childhood immunisation invitation letters in a variety of accessible formats, in line with the NHS England » Accessible Information Standard. The new formats are: Large font (16, 20, 24 and 28), EasyRead, Braille Grade 1 or 2 and Yellow background. Further details regarding this will be sent to practices shortly.
Training/Events
It Pays to go Green - How Sustainability Can Save Money and Lives in Your Organisation Webinar: Free one hour Thornfields webinar on Wednesday 10th July at 12.30pm delivered by GP and sustainability guru Dr Matt Sawyer. The webinar will answer some important questions you might not yet be asking…
- What sustainability and ‘net zero’ is and why it matters to you in ways you may not realise
- Why it won’t cost a lot of money or be a burden – but will make life better, cheaper and more sustainable for you and your patients
- How to easily comply with the CQC’s Well-led quality statement concerning environmental sustainability
- How you can use Matt’s free action plan ideas to make change happen quickly and easily
It also gives a great opportunity for PMs to come together and share best practice! Register your interest here .
Top Tips
MMR Shingrix Top Tip: When giving the Shingrix vaccination, please remember that there has to be a minimum of 186 days between the first and second dose. If you give it before the 6 months then you will not qualify for a payment for the second dose.
SHROU08 indicator - Monthly count of the number of registered immunocompromised patients aged 50 and over at the point of vaccination, who have a record of receiving a second dose of Shingrix more than 6 months (186 days) after the first dose carried out by the practice on or after 1 September 2023 and within the reporting period.
This is a link to a calculator you can use to ensure you book the next appointment after 6 months (186 days).
National Funding Framework (NFF) Top Tip: The only incentivised element for NFF in year one is Public Health indicator - Hypertension. We have included a link to the section in the specification, please read carefully, the deadline for the QI project will be upon you soon 15th July 2024.
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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