Somerset LMC Weekly Update Friday 5th July 2024
Date sent: Friday 5 July 2024
Sent to all Somerset GPs and Practice Managers This and previous updates are available here
- MD Soundbites!
- And So It Begins
- Somerset LMC Position on the PCN Pilot Project
- Clinical News/Updates
- GPC News - RSV NHS Vaccination Programme/Webinars
- Guidance for Prescribing in UTIs
- New Medical Certificates of Cause of Death (MCCDs) from 9 September 2024
- Somerset Treatment Escalation Plans (STEP) - Information for GP Partners/Salaried/Locums/Practice Managers
- BMA England - Focus on Spending the PCN DES Capacity and Access Payment Funding - Training/Events
- Primary Care Acute & Urgent Care Hackathon Tuesday 16th July, Exeter 10.00-16.00
- Somerset LMC/Training Hub GP Recruitment Event Wednesday 4th September at Taunton Racecourse - Safe Working in General Practice (BMA) This guidance is regularly updated with new items and suggestions
- Job Vacancies
And So It Begins
Last week I told you that we need to join together to take action to save General Practice. I was not expecting us to have to act so quickly! Many of you will have seen the urgent communication from the BMA which was forwarded by the LMC over the weekend regarding 'GP Connect Update record' functionality on clinical systems. Switching this functionality off was one of the menu of actions proposed by the BMA to form phase one of their collective action to ‘Protect your patients, protect your GP practice.’
In a move, seemingly timed to counter this threat, NHSE instructed the option to switch off to be removed from clinical systems on the 1st July 2024. We understand this has now been delayed.
NHS England say ‘The NHS introduced this functionality to make GPs working lives easier and improve patient outcomes – so it is odd that any GP would choose to turn this service off and revert to manually inputting data from emails, increasing their workload and taking up more time.’
However GPC are concerned about it’s possible future use. They say that ‘GP Connect Update Record functionality allows any permitted third-party provider to not only view the GP clinical record, but also add coded and free text data directly into it. Coded data can include observations, blood pressures, coded diagnoses, and medicines. Such a function could potentially further enable workload and subtle responsibility transfer from an external provider directly to the GP in the future.’ They have produced a FAQ document to help answer some of the common concerns with this action.
Switching off this functionality may increase workload for practices in the short term but if there was not benefit to NHSE then would they have moved so quickly to block the move to allow us to switch it off? There is no way to know what the future holds but what is clear is that we need to stand together and take action – in the short term this will not be comfortable, for us as individuals, practices or the local health care system – we cannot expect the actions we take to be met with messages of support from everyone around us but action is needed. Non of the actions suggested by the BMA are a breech of contract. They are all ‘allowed’. We need to act together. If not now, then when?
Best wishes
Tim
Clinical News/Updates
Guidance for Prescribing in UTIs: A recent increase in quinolone prescribing amongst our practices has been raised by Medicine Management. It may be that new clinicians into the area are not familiar with this website Antimicrobial - NHS Somerset ICB.. In addition MRHA alerts for quinolone: Fluoroquinolone antibiotics: must now only be prescribed when other commonly recommended antibiotics are inappropriate - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)..
New Medical Certificates of Cause of Death (MCCDs) from 9 September 2024: GP practices are advised to ensure they receive new medical certificates of cause of death (MCCDs) from DHSC in July. Reforms to death certification, including the statutory medical examiner system, will start on 9 September 2024. All medical practitioners must use the new MCCD from 9 September 2024. DHSC’s information explains how healthcare providers, including GP practices, will receive the new MCCD. Please can GP practices check they are on DHSC’s list, and if not, contact the DHSC email address.
Somerset Treatment Escalation Plans (STEP): The LMC have had recent enquiries about which treatment escalation form to use as part of advance care planning. In Somerset we continue to use STEP Somerset treatment escalation plan - NHS Somerset ICB rather than RESPECT. SWAST will utilise ANY treatment escalation plan and resus decision form, as they cover 7 different ICBs who use various versions of TEP/RESPECT in paper and digital formats. Discussions are ongoing to use the SIDeR platform to host a digital step (eSTEP). We will update you as this develops.
Training/Events
Somerset LMC/Training Hub GP Recruitment Event Wednesday 4th September at Taunton Racecourse: Our latest GP recruitment event will be held from 16.30 on Wednesday 4th September as a face to face meeting. This event will give GPs and GP trainees the chance to meet and talk to a wide variety of Somerset practices in one place. If you are GP or GP trainee looking for a job in Somerset please book your place here. Somerset practices can book their table to advertise their vacancy here. Registration and participation is free but places are limited. Please book by Tuesday 27th August.
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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