18 February 2021

Dear colleagues,

Community pharmacies are playing an important role in the COVID vaccination effort, and we are keen to support more to be involved. We wrote to community pharmacy contractors and local pharmaceutical committees on Tuesday asking for expressions of interest for pharmacy led Local Vaccination Services. If you wish to apply to provide the COVID-19 vaccination local enhanced service (LES) then you should complete the designation form and submit this to your regional team via the online designation form by Sunday 28 February 2021 to formally express an interest in becoming a designated site. You should only do this if you are confident you can meet the requirements of the service as set out in the LES. Alongside the letter, we have published some frequently asked questions on the Community Pharmacy COVID-19 Vaccination Service.

We are delighted to be able to share the latest in our series of primary care network (PCN) podcasts with frontline clinicians discussing how care homes and local health services in their respective PCNs have come together to successfully deliver a challenging vaccination programme, while also providing enhanced healthcare for patients and greater support for staff.

To support the recent launch of the GP access card campaign, I (Kiren) have written a blog encouraging GP registration within practices, including support and resources for general practice staff. Please read and share amongst your colleagues and help reinforce the message that everyone is welcome in general practice and primary care.

Kiren and Ned

COVID-19 updates and guidance

COVID-19 Vaccination Programme – workspace

General practice

Network Contract DES: Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme claim form update

Manual claim form: The manual claim form for the Network Contract DES Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) has been updated to allow for claims for February-March 2021. Access the updated form and please share with the relevant contacts.

Portal claim form: An online portal and claim form was launched in December 2020. From 30 March 2021, all claims must be made through the portal. Information and guidance can is available on our FutureNHS workspace.

PCNs are reminded that claims must be submitted to the commissioner for review and approval within a month of arrears. Commissioners must ensure that local processes are as straightforward as possible, with clear deadlines for submission of claims, prompt processing.

General practice – latest updates

Community pharmacy

Views sought on making oral contraceptive available from pharmacies

MHRA has launched a public consultation on the reclassification of two progestogen-only contraceptive pills containing desogestrel, asking whether they should be available over the counter without a medical prescription. The consultation closes on Friday 5 March.

GPHC revises guidance on COVID-19 antibody testing in community pharmacy

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is no longer asking community pharmacies not to provide rapid/point of case/near-person antibody tests for COVID-19, following a review of its position in light of recent updated guidance from Public Health England. 

All pharmacies and professionals providing this service must carefully consider the PHE guidance and other relevant guidance if deciding whether it is appropriate to offer this type of test, or other type of COVID-19 test and carry out a full risk assessment, as well as checking whether they need to be accredited with the United Kingdom Accreditation Service. 

Optometry

Digital playbook webinars planned with royal colleges

Last December, NHSX launched a library of digital playbooks on its website, as part of a programme of work supporting the commitment to reduce face-to-face outpatient appointments by up to a third over the next five years.

NHSX is planning a series of webinars with royal colleges to look in more detail at how the playbooks can support patient care. Starting in early March, the first of these will be the ophthalmology playbook webinar on Monday 1 March 5pm-6.15pm.

The digital playbooks are aimed at NHS staff and use case studies to show how different technology is being used across the UK to support clinicians and improve care, covering cardiology; respiratory; ophthalmology; musculoskeletal and dermatology.

Primary care

Reviewing our process for health technology evaluation: NICE consultation

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), has launched a public consultation on proposals for changes to the processes it uses to develop its guidance on medicines, medical devices, diagnostics and digital health technologies.

This consultation, which is open until Thursday 15 April 2021, is the third in a series of consultations on proposals for changes to the methods and processes NICE uses to produce its guidance on health technologies – part of the largest review ever undertaken by NICE. Find out more information on the consultation and how to get involved.

How to use a pulse oximeter at home – patient video launched

NHSX has also launched a new video on how patients should use a pulse oximeter and track results. This is led Dr Matt Inada-Kim, the clinical champion for Covid Oximetry @Home and National Clinical Director - infection, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and deterioration at NHS England and NHS Improvement.

We recently published a case study about how pulse oximetry its supporting general practice in the response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Dates for your diary

Wednesday 24 February, 1pm – 2pm. Development of digital solutions for home-based and care home management

Wednesday 24 February, 1.30pm – 3pm. New advancements in technology and pathway redesign, within Teledermatology: Part 3/3 Webinar Series

Thursday 25 February, 10am – 11.15am. Flexible Working - the case for change in the NHS

Thursday 25 February, 5pm - 6pm. General Practice webinar with Kiren and Ned

Monday 1 March from 1pm – 2:30pm. Interoperable medicines standards and EPS webinar 

Monday 1 March from 5pm – 6:15pm. Ophthalmology playbook webinar

Wednesday 3 March, 1pm – 2pm. The IGPM progress update: Recognition, representation and membership

Wednesday 3 March, 1pm – 3pm.3 Wellbeing and the Primary Care Workforce: A collaborative event

Wednesday 3 March, 2.30pm – 5.45pm. Action for Change: Health inequalities: leading for equality

Friday 5 March, 12pm – 1.15pm. The opportunities for systems to improve patient outcomes using digital and data

Monday 8 March, 7.30am – 4pm International Women's Day 2021 Celebration with Prerana Issar, NHS Chief People Officer and Samantha Allen, Chair of the NHS Confederation's Health & Care Women Leaders Network

Wednesday 17 March, 3.30pm – 5pm. Inclusion Health Self- Assessment tool live demonstration

Link of the day

UK TV ad urging BAME groups to have COVID-19 vaccine to be aired tonight