Business Continuity Plans
NHS bodies are required to have Business Continuity Plans to cover contingencies such as flood, fire, national disaster, flu pandemics etc.
The LMC strongly recommends (whether or not you are an NHS body) that you should have a plan and we have created the following...
C THE SIGNS PATIENT CONSENT TO DATA UPLOAD
The LMC has heard concerns about patient consent to upload data to the C the Signs platform. CCG DPO Mr Kevin Caldwell has reassured us that a DPIA was completed in which consent was not judged the appropriate legal basis for the processing of patient...
Handy Apps and websites for Childhood conditions
HANDi Paediatric app : advice for common childhood conditions -Written by MPH consultants (Once you click on that link, please click 'advanced' and then 'Continue to devonccg.nhs.uk'
Worried about your child? : Healthier Together by RCPCH
A&Es...
CQRS Local
CQRS Local has been built with practices in mind, and offers several new benefits with its uptake.
The new system offers a single point of access for local and national claims, with payment from CQRS local going directly to the practice bank account in the same way as national...
Death Certification (MCCD) process from 25th March 2022 following expiry of the Coronavirus Act temporary provisions
Link to download flowchart process
Changes to Death Reporting Requirements
Following the expiry of the Coronavirus...
Deployment of port security software
Somerset CCG are taking steps to improve the security around the use of removable media devices (such as USB sticks, memory cards and other intelligent devices), and mitigate the risk of cyber-attack, data loss or the transfer of viruses / trojans by...
Disclosing patient information without consent- A precis of GMC advice
You must disclose information if it is required by statute or if you are ordered by a judge. Although obeying a judge's directions is mandatory you should only disclose information that is relevant to the request. But other...
FLU
CQRS includes a new service to support the 2021/22 Flu ES requirement for practices to report on the number of flu vaccinations administered to primary care staff 21 December 2021
Enhanced Service Specification Seasonal Influenza Vaccination programme 2021/22 - Updated 29 September...
Updated guidance for Firearms Licensing - 1st November 2021
Following the tragic events in Plymouth, new Firearms Licensing Guidance has been issued by the Home Office and came into force on 1st November. This had been under consideration and consultation for some time. The relevant sections...
Future of General Practice
Written by Barry Moyse, Medical Director of Somerset LMC,
This has been submitted as we are the Somerset LMC which represents all GPs and GP practices within Somerset.
What are the main barriers to accessing general practice and how can these be tackled?
GMS Contract Quality Outcomes Framework 2022/23
To provide practice stability and support recovery, QOF for 2022/23 will be based on the indicator set already agreed for 2021/22, with the only changes being the introduction of two new Quality Improvement modules. Full reinstatement of QOF from...
Updated Ventilation guidance (HTM 03-01) Specialised ventilation for healthcare buildings
These documents give comprehensive advice and guidance on the legal requirements, design implications, maintenance and operation of specialised ventilation in healthcare premises providing acute care.
In...
National Bereavement Care Pathway
A tool kit that has been developed to enable healthcare professionals (GPs, Practice nurses, HCAs, Receptionists/Secretaries) to use and deliver the pathway effectively in the primary care setting. It explains about the National Bereavement Care Pathway and the...
NEW Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) Pathway 'Goes Live' at 1100 hours on Wednesday 4th August 2021!
The new CES pathway is designed for patients who would normally be referred to Musgrove Park Hospital for their usual care. It is not intended to be used for out of area referral of patients who...
What the NHSEI package means for general practice - BMA England
NHSEI (NHS England and NHS Improvement), supported by the Government, has published a plan it claims will improve access for patients and support general practice in the current crisis. This has not been negotiated or agreed by GPC...
Occupational Health resources and Guidance
Practices have a legal reasonability under the Health & Safety at Work Act to identify hazards that any employee may face and put in systems to reduce the risk of harm to their staff, part of this is immunisations and infectious diseases.
Practice...
Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group have teamed up with ORCHA (the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Applications) to create a website which contains over 6000 health and care related apps. ORCHA has a team of professionals, including actively practicing clinicians, to...
The revised Code and Retention Schedule was launched in July 2016 and the IGA has committed to at least an annual review cycle. Feedback will be important evidence to support the first review in 2017.
See full guidance including the retention schedule
Offsite Storage of Medical Records
The...
The National standards of healthcare cleanliness 2021
'The National standards of healthcare cleanliness 2021 (the national standards) apply to all healthcare settings - acute hospitals, mental health, community, primary care, dental care, ambulance trusts, GP surgeries and clinics, and care...