Somerset LMC Weekly Update Friday 29th July 2016
Date sent: Friday 29 July 2016
All Somerset GPs and Practice Managers This and previous updates can be found here
- General Practice Forward View announcements
- Somerset LMC Newsletter July
- Do you have bright ideas that you could share with other practices?
- GPC News July 2016
- Antihistamine and prescribing
- Firearms Licence
- Instructing Patients on Collecting Urine Samples: How do you do it?
- Wessex LMCs Lunch and Learn
- CQRS and Enhanced services Training
General practice Forward view announcements A series of announcements were made yesterday on the GPFV these included proposals on GP indemnity costs, the General practice resilience programme, national development programme, retained doctor scheme and improving how hospitals work with general practice, we have not had time to digest these as yet, a brief summary from NHSE and the linked documents can be found on the LMC website
GPC and the GPFV LMC reference group have emphasised to NHS England the vital role of LMCs in the resilience programme, working with practices and local teams to ensure support is delivered where needed. The guidance commits local teams to working with LMCs in tailoring and delivering the support. The key forthcoming milestones for the programme are in section 8.
GPC will shortly providing guidance to practices on the indemnity proposals to ensure this funding benefits all doctors working within the practice. This scheme is only one part of wider work into the complex indemnity issues, including indemnity costs of working with wider allied healthcare professionals, those working in unscheduled care (especially OOH), sessional doctors etc.
There are a number of points in the letter re hospitals working with general practice that you may also like to share with your Medical secretaries, not least not to ask GPs to re-refer DNAs.
Bright ideas The big organisational changes to tackle the problems of the NHS being proposed by the CCG and others are going to take time to implement, but we have a capacity problem now. We know that practices are starting their own local projects to deal with the demand and workforce problems everyone is facing. If you have set up or are planning such a scheme, would you be prepared to share it with others? If so, please can you fill n this short survey. No suggestion is too small! We will then set up an area on the website to share the innovation and ideas that are happening around Somerset.
Antihistamine and prescribing The LMC has been approached by several practices regarding the CCG campaign to encourage practices to cease prescribing commonly available over-the-counter medications, such as antihistamines for hayfever. Whilst the LMC recognises that this approach may be supported on the grounds that the prescribing budget is overspent, and there has to be a greater emphasis on encouraging patients to take control of their own conditions, we have sought reassurance from NHS England as we are concerned that NHSE may consider a refusal to prescribe to be a breach of clause 8.1.3 (b) of the GMS contract.We have not yet had a response, but it is important to note that GPs are still free to prescribe such items, when they feel this is appropriate.
Firearms Licence The BMA have revised guidance in response to member concerns following a new information sharing process between GPs and police when dealing with a firearms licence application.
Although their change in position will mean the majority of GPs will withdraw from participating in the process, they have explained the process for refusing to complete or completing the forms, there are also template letters posted to this area of the website that practices are free to use.
Instructing Patients on Collecting Urine Samples: How do you do it? We are looking to answer one of the great mysteries – how do urine samples get from the patient to the lab tubes? This survey is not necessarily aimed at doctors, but rather the nursing and ancillary staff who are more likely to be involved in the practicalities!
We would be really grateful if at least one member of staff from each practice could respond using the link below
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/XS87PFN
Many thanks Dr David James MD FRCPath SPS Clinical Director and Consultant Chemical Pathologist
Lunch and Learn Training Resources from Wessex LMCs We are delighted to have arranged for our practices to purchase Wessex Lunch and Learn Training Resources at a preferential rate. These will provide a different way for practices to train their staff as it enables you on behalf of the practice to deliver training over the lunchtime period by giving you all the materials you need. Full details of this initiative can be found here, you will be able to use your Somerset LMC log in details to view this resource on the Wessex site.
Kind Regards
Jill
Jill Hellens
Executive Director
Somerset LMC
TEL: 01823 331428
Fax:01823 338561
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