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Primary Care Bulletin - today's round-up
22 June 2021
Dear colleagues,
The past 18 months have been incredibly demanding on all of you, and we want to take this opportunity to remind you to please take some time off if you can to spend with friends and family. It is important that we all take time for ourselves away from work to recharge our batteries and look after our mental health and wellbeing.
The Institute for Employment Studies (IES) have been commissioned to conduct a study of the wellbeing of the primary care workforce. IES is an independent, not-for-profit research institute that specialises in evaluation and research on employment and HR matters.
This survey is the third in a series that will be used to assess the current wellbeing of the workforce. It asks you to reflect on your personal wellbeing as well as the functioning of your team and your experiences of working remotely. We are using the results of this research to continually improve the coaching support we are offering. Please submit your responses by Monday 12 July.
NHS Digital Weight Management Programme
NHS staff are now able to sign up to the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme. This is a new service for staff working in the NHS who would like to lose weight and improve their health and wellbeing.
We are keen that primary care staff who have a BMI of 30 or greater (or 27.5 or greater for staff from Black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups), know how to access a free, online 12-week weight management programme which is personally tailored to support their journey to a healthier lifestyle.
Staff who are interested can find out more information and register on our 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
All adults eligible for vaccination
On 14 June the Government announced that all adults aged 18 and over are to be offered a vaccination by 19 July. Throughout last week we had been opening up Cohort 12 enabling 21 to 29-year-olds to book their vaccine. From 18 June, all those aged 18 and over are now able to book their vaccinations.
FAQs: students in higher education institutions
We have published Frequently Asked Questions to support general practice and higher education institutions.
In general, patients should return to the place they had their first dose to have their second dose. However, it is appropriate for students to receive their second dose in a different location to their first dose due to their circumstances. The National Booking Service has an option to book or re-arrange the second vaccination appointment at a different location to the first appointment. If a student had a first dose in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, but is in England at the time of their second dose, they should either:
- book a second dose through the National Booking Service (if they are registered with a GP in England and therefore have an English NHS number);
- register with a GP in England and book an appointment that way; or
- approach a local GP and ask to be vaccinated as an unregistered patient.
If a person has received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine overseas with a vaccine that is also available in the UK, they should receive the same vaccine for their second dose. If the vaccine they received for their first dose is not available in the UK, the most similar alternative should be offered as per the advice here (see sections on vaccine interchangeability guidance).
Vaccination of patients who do not have an NHS number
No patient should be denied access to a Covid vaccination based on not having an NHS number or being registered with a GP. This is particularly important in the case of health inclusion population groups. It is important that PCN services should ensure that they are offering vaccinations to both registered and unregistered patients, some of whom may not have an NHS number. The Frequently Asked Questions provide further information and access to support. If any providers are having difficulty in offering vaccines for patients without an NHS number please contact us at england.pccovidvaccine@nhs.net.
General practice
New Enhanced Services for general practice
Following the updated GP contract letter last week announcing two additional enhanced services for weight loss management and Long COVID, the specification documents are now available.
Weight Management Enhanced Service (2021/22)
The Weight Management Enhanced Service encourages practices to develop a supportive environment for clinicians to engage with patients living with obesity about their weight and provides up to £20m funding in 2021/22 for referrals to weight management services. This enhanced service goes alongside a broader expansion of weight management services, including the launch of the NHS Digital Weight Management Service for those with hypertension and diabetes, and further investment into local authority tier 2 services.
Long COVID Enhanced Service (2021/22)
To support general practice in managing Long COVID, NHS England will provide up to £30m from 1 July 2021 – 31 March 2022 via a Long COVID Enhanced Service. This will support professional education, training and pathway development that will enable management in primary care where appropriate and more consistent referrals to clinics for specialist assessment. It will also support accurate coding and planning to ensure equity of access.
Welcome to General Practice - support for GP trainees and newly qualified GPs
As part of our series of webinars to support GPs at various stages of their career, we have added a session for GP trainees and newly qualified GPs to help you understand the exciting opportunities available to you on your journey from CCT to your first revalidation. The ‘Welcome to General Practice’ session will take place on 27 July at 9-11am and will be jointly run by the GMC, NHSEI, HEE and the RCGP. You will also hear from First Five GPs who have participated in the schemes on the agenda, including the General Practice Fellowship. Please register here to attend. The details of all of the webinars in the series can be found on the GP Career Support Hub.
One career, endless opportunities #Choose GP
Final applications for the 2021 GP specialty training is open from 27 July – 18 August 2021. Please ‘like’ and follow the #Choose GP Facebook and Instagram page to keep up to date with news and views. Please forward this information to any doctors who may be thinking about career options. The GP National Recruitment Office (GPNRO) website is the place to go for more guidance or we have a number of GPs and trainees who can help with local or general enquiries. Email Daryl gprecruitment@hee.nhs.uk to be put in touch.
Become an RCGP veteran-friendly accredited practice
This Armed Forces Day (26 June) we are celebrating 1,000 veteran-friendly GP accredited practices. If your practice is not yet accredited, show your support by signing up to the RCGP veteran-friendly accreditation programme. There are an estimated 2.4 million veterans in the UK, some of whom have complex needs. There are veteran-specific services tailored towards this potentially vulnerable patient group. Veterans may also be entitled to priority treatment for conditions related to military service.
Becoming a veteran friendly accredited practice is a simple on-line process and helps to raise awareness, improve understanding and better equip and facilitate GPs in their duty of care to veterans. Further information can be found on the RCGP website. For expressions of interest please contact veterans@rcgp.org.uk.
Primary care
Shared decision-making guidance and training
New guidelines on shared decision-making have been published. A learning package for healthcare professionals to support implementation of the guideline has been produced by Keele University and NICE.
The recommendations advise that shared decision-making should be part of everyday practice across all healthcare settings. The guideline sets out ways for healthcare professionals to work with people using services to make decisions about their treatment and care, ensuring this is best practice at an organisational level. A standards framework for shared decision-making support tools has also been published, including PDAs.
We have commissioned the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education to develop and deliver a programme of learning centred on embedding a shared decision-making approach to consultations in primary care practice (general practice and care homes). The shared decision-making programme is open to NHS pharmacists working in a patient-facing role in general practice and care homes for at least two days (15 hours) per week. The programme is delivered online and consists of an e-course and two full day online workshops.
Dates for your diary
Wednesday 23 June, 1pm - 2.30pm. Dermatology Transformation webinar
Wednesday 23 June, 1.30pm - 2.30pm. Social Prescribing: Culturally Competent Practice
Wednesday 23 June, 6.30pm - 7.30pm. Funding and workforce support for local vaccination services
Thursday 24 June, 10am - 4pm. NHSX Innovation Collaborative Conference
Tuesday 29 June, 1pm - 2pm. Making Easy Read Materials
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
Thursday 1 July, 8pm - 9pm. PCPA, PSNC and NPA webinar on GP referral to Community Pharmacist Consultation Service implementation gems and resources
Link of the day
