Somerset LMC Weekly Update Friday 9th February 2018
Date sent: Friday 9 February 2018
All Somerset GPs and Practice Managers This and previous updates can be found here and on the Somerset LMC App
- Somerset GP Board (SGPB) and your top 5 attached (replies by 1st March)
- Somerset GP Board "Recommendations to Somerset CCG on General Practice st Scale" Paper
- Somerset LMC Newsletter Winter 2018
- SPQS
- LARC
- Removal of mentally disturbed patients from the surgery
- Somerset LMC and Somerset GP Education Trust Recruitment Evening 15th March 2018
- SPH Board Members
Somerset GP Board "Recommendations to Somerset CCG on General Practice st Scale As the national pressure for larger scale working in general practice has intensified, the Somerset GP Board has been considering what that might look like in our county. The Board does not believe that providing primary care in larger units is necessarily better or more sustainable, particularly for a rural population, but it does believe that we should be looking at the options and establishing some key principles that any proposed model should meet.
This paper seeks to summarise the potential benefits of working at a larger scale, to consider which general approach is likely to work best here, and to write down the framework in which that should be drafted. The Board would be very grateful for your comments and feedback by the 7th March (to lmcoffice@somersetlmc.nhs.uk ) so that we can decide whether this approach is supported. If so, we will continue with this work and further papers developing the theme will follow in the next few weeks
Agreement Reached on Content of SPQS for 2018-19 After a period of intense sometimes challenging, but ultimately collaborative discussion, NHSE, the CCG and the LMC have concluded negotiations on the content of SPQS for the coming year. I think we all agreed that the specification last year had become a little unfocussed and had tried to be “all things to all men”, so this year the content is more tightly defined and the workload implications of each part are easier to define, and therefore plan for. We are aware that some practices have been thinking about reverting to QOF, but the LMC believes it would be a real shame to abandon the SPQS experiment just at the time we are beginning to find how it can effect real cultural change in practices, and thereby support a subtle but important shift in thinking that embeds genuine quality improvement thinking and patient centred care into everyday practice work. The LMC also believes that the areas chosen for the new SPQS cover genuine health priorities, and that practice participation will help both individual patients but the healthcare system of Sormrset as a whole.
The LMC commends the 2018-19 SPQS to practices, and we hope that you will read the specification that is shortly to be released and seriously consider participating in the scheme as an alternative to QOF.
LARC The LMC has been discussing proposed changes to the way LARC services are commissioned in Somerset with our Public health colleagues. It is important to know when there is a change provision of LARC in a practice especially if a fitter has left or retired from that practice or if this is planned in the near future. Practices ideally need to inform their local SWISH clinic as this would obviously have an impact on their service.
We have also been discussing the requirements of fitters to have their Letters of Competency (LOC) in IUS/SDIs in order to offer this service. We are keen to have more robust information regarding how many of our IUS fitters do not have a (LOC) as this could impact on service provision. Can I ask for this information and where you are in the county to help us map this? Please email the LMC office with your responses by 16th February at LMCOffice@somersetlmc.nhs.uk Education and training is also a key point in our discussions you will be pleased to hear so watch this space...
Removal of mentally disturbed patients from the surgery (our thanks to Gloucester LMC) With effect from 11th December 2017 Section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 has been amended specifically to allow a police constable to go anywhere except a private dwelling (which a GP Surgery is not) to exercise the power to remove a person suffering from a mental disorder to a place of safety. Note that both the need to be in a place to which the public has access and the need for the constable to find (i.e. happen upon) the person have been removed. Net result –if you have a patient suffering from a mental disorder on the premises you can now request police assistance to remove that person to a place of safety. If they say they cannot do so you can quote Section 80 of the Policing and Crime Act 2017 which now permits it.
Somerset LMC and Somerset GP Education Trust Recruitment Evening Are you a GP or GP Trainee looking for the right practice / employer to meet your career aspirations? Are you a practice with a vacancy or one in the Future?
If you are thinking about partnership, salaried or retainer posts but not sure where to begin and aren't sure what your next steps are then help is at hand and your questions can be answered by attending this unique event where practices from across the county and GPs and GP Trainees can come together and be introduced to each to other to explore options and hear about the innovations that are happening in Somerset Primary Care.
If you feel this type of format would work for you and would be interested attending such an event you can book your place here. The event is free of charge to attend and will be held from 6.30pm to 9.00pm on the 15th March at Taunton Racecourse (light refreshments will be provided throughout the evening).
For Somerset practices that either has a vacancy or know that they will have in the next 18 months and would like to book a table for this event please e mail sarah,johns@somersetlmc.nhs.uk for further details and to book your place.
SPH Board Members SPH is looking for new Board members and would welcome expressions of interest from GPs and Practice Mangers across the County. Please contact Karen Lashly via Karen.Lashly@nhs.net for more information.
Kind Regards
Jill
Jill Hellens
Executive Director
Somerset LMC
TEL: 01823 331428
Fax:01823 338561
General Practice In Somerset Great Place Great Potential
Attached file: SGPB - Top 5 Things Letter.docx
