No images? Click here
Primary Care Bulletin - today's round-up
8 June 2021
Dear colleagues,
During the last year there has been a remarkable reduction in respiratory viral infections other than COVID-19. This means that there is an increasing number of young children who have never been exposed to these common viruses. Around the world we have seen evidence of unseasonal outbreaks of these infections as measures such as social distancing and mask wearing are relaxed. As outlined in the GP Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), COVID-19 tends to be a mild, self-limiting illness in children. Prolonged illness and/or severe symptoms should not be attributed to COVID-19 and should be evaluated as usual. We are asking that all children under five with respiratory symptoms are considered for face-to-face consultations and referred to secondary care as appropriate. Whilst children with respiratory symptoms should follow government guidance, including on COVID-19 testing, this should not take precedence over clinical assessment. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health produced a summary of key current evidence regarding COVID-19 in children and young people and guidance on paediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome temporally associated with COVID-19.
New resources for the GP referral pathway to the NHS Community Pharmacist Consultation Service
A new briefing note and case study has been produced in conjunction with the Royal College of General Practitioners, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee and Primary Care Pharmacy Association, which outlines how GP practices and PCNs can start referring into the service as soon as the secure electronic referral process has been agreed with local community pharmacies.
The pathway was introduced as a new route to refer patients to CPCS, in addition to referrals from NHS 111 and should be a fundamental part of restoring and increasing access to primary care services following wave two of the COVID-19 pandemic.
An implementation toolkit supports practice staff and PCNs to implement the service with NHS England and NHS Improvement regional teams.
Supporting staff to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme
The NHS has always benefited from committed, and talented health staff both trained here in Britain and those who have chosen to work here from abroad. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens form an integral and vital part of the health and care family, and your skills and compassionate care directly benefit patients, families and communities.
There are less than 30 days left to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme, which is open to all EU, EEA and Swiss citizens in the UK until 30 June 2021. The Settlement Scheme will allow EU, EEA and Swiss citizens to continue to live and work in the UK beyond June 2021, meaning they will not need to apply for visas when the new immigration system takes effect. The scheme will also lock in the rights of EU, EEA and Swiss citizens, meaning they will be able to access healthcare, benefits and other government services in the same way they currently do, further details on what people will get from the scheme are available on the government website.
Nikki and Ed
Dr Nikki Kanani
GP and Medical Director for Primary Care,
NHS England and NHS Improvement
Ed Waller
Director for Primary Care, NHS England and NHS Improvement
COVID-19 updates
Inviting 25 to 29 year olds to book their COVID-19 vaccine
From today (Tuesday 8 June), 25 to 29 year olds will be invited to book their COVID-19 vaccination through the National Booking Service (on the NHS website or by calling 119). Text messages will be sent to this group inviting them over the course of this week, starting today, and letters will be sent to them arriving from Saturday.
In addition to inviting 25 to 29 year olds in cohort 12, vaccination sites should continue to work through vaccination of cohort 11. This is alongside continued action to increase uptake across all eligible cohorts and to ensure there is sufficient capacity to bring forward second doses for those in cohorts 1-9 in line with JCVI guidance.
CPs and PCN led sites should continue to work with their local commissioners to establish temporary vaccination clinics where this will help increase uptake. Further details can be found here.
Standard Operating Procedure: Roving and mobile models published
This standard operating procedure (SOP) describes how to operate roving and mobile vaccination models. These models enable the administration of COVID-19 vaccines at identified locations outside of vaccination ‘base’ sites – vaccination centres, hospital hubs, PCN-led sites and community pharmacies.
Update to the General Practice COVID-19 vaccination enhanced service specification
We have updated the enhanced service specification to:
- include a 3 month maximum period within which payment claims must be made in line with good financial governance and to ensure PCN groupings receive payments in a timely manner
- require PCN groupings to use a single Point of Care System for entering new vaccination events in order to minimise the risk of duplicate payments (this does not apply where changes are being made to existing vaccination events or during a period of transition to a new Point of Care system).
- permit the administration and payment claim of a single dose vaccine once authorised
These changes have been agreed with the British Medical Association.
Flu and Covid 19 vaccination trials update
There are a number of clinical trials ongoing looking into whether the COVID-19 and flu vaccines can be given at the same time (co-administration) and looking into various issues around giving a third ‘booster’ dose. The results of these trials will inform the design of the COVID-19 vaccination programme from the autumn (Phase 3). The clinical trials in progress are:
- COMFLUCOV – a collaboration between the University of Bristol, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, and the University of Oxford, run by the Bristol Trials Centre. Trial is looking at the safety of concomitant administration of Covid and flu vaccines. Results are expected June 2021.
- COMCOV – led by the Oxford Vaccine Group at the University of Oxford, this trial looks at how people respond to mixed schedules. Results are expected June to September 2021.
- COVBOOST – led by the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, this trial is looking at how people respond to a third dose, which vaccine is best use for boosting after which primary course and at what dosage (full or half dose for example). Results are expected in September 2021.
Free PPE for unpaid
carers
It is important that Infection, Prevention, Control measures continue to be followed. Currently, it is recommended that unpaid carers not living with the person they care for wear PPE when delivering care. These unpaid carers are eligible to receive free COVID-19 PPE through local authorities (LAs) and local resilience forums (LRFs) until the end of March 2022. Additionally, LAs/ LRFs may use discretion to provide PPE to co-resident unpaid carers if appropriate.
If you are aware of unpaid carers who would benefit from this offer, please let them know that they can contact their LA/ LRF using these contact details.
General practice
Collection of GP data
NHS Digital released a statement last month regarding the launch of the new system they will be using to collect GP data, called the General Practice Data for Planning and Research (GPDPR) service. The statement highlights that NHS Digital will only share data with organisations who have a legal basis and meet strict criteria to use it for local, regional and national planning, policy development, commissioning, public health and research purposes. They have also developed a public advice webpage to explain how and why the data is being used.
Updated GP access communications toolkit
Following some changes to the GP SOP, we have updated the general practice access toolkit. Please download and use this toolkit to support you in communicating to patients on how best to access services.
Covid swab testing survey
NHS Test and Trace made Covid swab testing available to all General Practices in England from November 2020. The service is available to all practices on a voluntary, opt in basis as a supplementary option for practices. We would like to hear from practices whether they are using the service, how the service is going and what improvements we could make.
It would be great to get your feedback to the short questionnaire. The survey should take no more than 5-10 minutes to complete and will close at midnight on Sunday 13 June.
Dentistry
The latest issue of the Your NHS dentistry and oral health update is available to read online.
Primary care
Extending medical examiner scrutiny to deaths in the community
During 2021/22, medical examiner offices hosted at acute trusts will start work to provide independent scrutiny of all non-coronial deaths in their local community. Each medical examiner office will begin to contact local providers in coming weeks and months to agree processes and timing.
A letter has been sent to primary and secondary care providers outlining the details. Further information can also be found on the National Medical Examiner System webpage and an additional webpage specifically for primary care. The government included proposals for the statutory medical examiner system in its white paper.
Exploring Freedom to Speak Up in Primary Care and Integrated Settings
A new report from National Guardian’s Office (NGO) illustrates the challenges and benefits of implementing Freedom to Speak Up in different primary care and integrated settings. Exploring Freedom to Speak Up identifies two models to support primary care organisations in developing their speaking up arrangements:
- Freedom to Speak Up within an organisation – such as a GP practice or Dental surgery; or a Clinical Commissioning Group
- Freedom to Speak Up within a network or defined structure – for example a partnership; a local support; or an Integrated Care System Model.
You can find out more on the NGO website.
#LinkWorkerDay2021 – conference and awards
The third UK Annual Social Prescribing Link Worker (SPLW) Day will take place on 8 October 2021, showcasing the impact and role of SPLWs in creatively disrupting inequalities and powering up integrated care. A conference will take place on the same day. On 7 October 2021, an awards ceremony will celebrate and recognise all those SPLWs who have made outstanding contributions.
The deadline to apply for the awards is Sunday 13 June 2021. Download the nomination form and submit your nominations.
Dates for your diary
Tuesday 8 June, 7pm – 8.30pm. Post COVID-19 syndrome (“Long covid”) Where are we now? RCGP webinar
Wednesday 9th June 11am – 12.30pm. Anticipatory Care - Personalised Care within Anticipatory Care
Wednesday 9 June 2021 1:00pm – 2:30pm. Children and Young People’s Social Prescribing and the role of Link Workers
GP Appointment Data: GP practice briefing. These sessions hosted by NHS Digital will introduce recently issued national categorisation guidance and show practices how to carry out mapping to the new national standard categories. There are several dates available:
- Wednesday 9 June, 11.30am – 12.30pm
- Tuesday 15 June, 5pm – 6pm
Tuesday 15 June, 5pm – 6pm. Home Office webinar: becoming a UK visa sponsoring practice
Thursday 17 June 5pm – 6pm. General Practice webinar
Thursday 24 June. NHSX Innovation Collaborative Conference
Tuesday 29 June, 1pm - 2pm. Making Easy Read Materials
The first in a series of webinars that focus on working with people and communities and are part of the learning and development offer from the Public Participation team, aimed at colleagues working in an NHS organisation and those supporting an NHS organisation in its engagement activity.
Tuesday 29 June, 2pm – 4pm. Webinars: From Niche to necessity: genomics in routine care
Tuesday 29 June, 6:30pm – 7:30pm. Using the Year of Care approach to personalised care and support planning to support people with long term conditions in a post COVID era
Link of the day
