Somerset LMC Weekly Update Friday 27th October 2017

Date sent: Friday 27 October 2017

All Somerset GPs and Practice Managers This and previous updates can be found here

Apologies it's a long one this week!

Naval Gazing the latest blog from LMC Chairman Dr Nick Bray
LMC SCEPN Studyday developing the workforce 2nd November There are still a few places available, please book online
Somerset GP Board Review of CCG Proposal to extend use of Advice and Guidance
Private Medical Insurance
GMS1 forms advice
LMCs Buying Group Vaccines Offers 2018-19
CQRS New live service - GP appointments data collection in support of winter pressures
Video Update for Yeovil referring GPs
Next Symphony Programme Open Day
How to Make Prevalence Count for SPQS & QOF / CQRS - Making Your Claims Count
Lentells GP Money matters Autumn 2017
CQC consultation on fees closing date midday 18th January 2018
Amspar Distance learning Primary Care and Health Management Diploma starts 20th November 2017
Twitter

Somerset GP Board Review of CCG Proposal to extend use of Advice and Guidance SGPB recognises that A&G, along with other indirect access services such as Consultant and Urgent Connect are generally liked by GPs. Primary care clinicians can get timely access to a specialist view which helps ensure patients get the most appropriate care whilst helping the GP manage clinical risk. Avoiding formal Referral or admission also saves money, which in the current climate is an urgent priority.

However, if referrals are avoided, then more work is being held in primary care which has no capacity to take on additional tasks safely. If practices are going to be responsible for dealing themselves with the needs of patients who are not in future going to be referred, then either they need more resources - skilled people- to do this, or some other area of work needs to be abandoned or managed better. The deployment of enough health coaches/ facilitators into practices, particularly to support complex patients, would be a good example of how that might be achieved.

The Board also asserted that where A&G is to be the default route to a consultant opinion there must always be the option of a traditional referral if the GP thinks this is necessary.

The full SGPB review of the impact of the Advice and Guidance proposals on general Practice will be available on the LMC website shortly.

Private Medical Insurance We think about 5% of people in Somerset have private medical insurance of some sort, but surprisingly often they forget about it - especially if it is an employment perk rather than something they pay for themselves – and sometimes people feel uncomfortable about mentioning it when a secondary care referral is suggested .

We know that as a consequence a fairly small but significant number of NHS referrals are made for patients who could obtain the same treatment privately. Of course, and NHS patient may have an NHS referral if they so choose, but given that private care for routine matters may be quicker and that it is usually nicely packaged, most patients who have that option would probably choose it.

Whilst the LMC does not suggest that colleagues should routinely ask patients if they are insured before a referral, it’s perhaps worth checking before making a referral for someone who has previously had private care, and possibly putting a notice in the waiting room or in your practice leaflet asking patients to let their doctor know if they have insurance if a specialist opinion or referral for a hospital procedure is proposed

CQRS New live service - GP appointments data collection in support of winter pressures we have been contacted by a few practices regarding this request we can confirm:

It is a mandatory data collection
No payment is attached to this data collection
CQRS is being used to record practice participation in the data collection only – no data will be held in CQRS itself
This service will be available from 18 October 2017

Action required :

On or after 18 October (but before 20 November), please “Accept” the service on CQRS

Video Update for Yeovil referring GPs A two minute progress report from Dr Kathryn Patrick, YDH Director of Primary Care, on work the trust is doing to smooth the interface between primary and secondary care. The clip is “unlisted” on YouTube so you’ll need this address to find it:

See https://youtu.be/irY6ToJyNgo

Next Symphony Programme Open Day November 2nd The event will run from 1-5pm and if anyone would like to book a place – please use the following link

How to Make Prevalence Count for SPQS & QOF / CQRS - Making Your Claims Count

Sessions available:

https://www.somersetlmc.co.uk/events/4425 - Tuesday 14th November - Bridgwater

https://www.somersetlmc.co.uk/events/4428 - Wednesday 22nd November – South Petherton

Twitter We now have over 600 followers on Twitter if you have would like to be one of them and get snippets of info on the go please do join here

Best Wishes

Jill

Jill Hellens

Executive Director

Somerset LMC

TEL: 01823 331428

Fax:01823 338561