Primary Care Bulletin - today's round-up

26 March 2021

Dear colleagues,

Yesterday we published the NHS 2021/22 priorities and operational planning guidance setting out the priorities for the year ahead, including “expanding primary care capacity to improve access, local health outcomes and address health inequalities”.

The NHS has announced that it is reducing the national incident level, for the NHS COVID-19 response, from level 4 to level 3. Read the full details in a letter from Professor Keith Willett, NHS Strategic Incident Director, and Stephen Groves, Incident Director.

Update on Investment in General Practice for 2019/20

The five-year GP contract deal: Investment and Evolution and the NHS Long Term Plan (LTP), has provided more funding for general practice and is rising faster than for the rest of the NHS – more than twice as quickly in real terms in 2019/20 - the first year of funding from the NHS LTP. Plus, the overall £12bn investment target announced in the General Practice Forward View was delivered a year ahead of schedule too.

Previously published by NHS Digital, we have today published full details of the Investment in General Practice from 2015/16 to 2019/20. The report draws on information from our financial reporting systems and other published data – for example, on the reimbursement and remuneration for dispensing activity.

While investment has increased, we recognise the need to continue to support practices in addressing the rising demands of the COVID-19 vaccination programme and difficulties with workforce recruitment. We recently announced an expansion of £120m to the General Practice Covid Capacity Expansion Fund for April - September 2021. We also continue to work closely and at pace with the profession to support primary care network Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme recruitment and to increase the number of doctors working in general practice.

Kiren and Ali

COVID-19 updates and guidance

Supporting people with SMI to access their covid-19 vaccination

As the COVID-19 vaccination programme progresses at pace, it is vital that no one is left behind. Some people with Severe Mental Illness (SMI) may not know if they are eligible for vaccination as part of priority group six. Therefore, in line with the JCVI green book, it is vital that we take an inclusive approach to ensure people with bipolar, schizophrenia and any other illness that would impact functional impairment can access their COVID-19 vaccination. For instance, this could include people with an eating disorder (either a high or low BMI) or people with a diagnosis of personality disorder.  

We also know that people with SMI have lower utilisation of primary care services and may find it difficult to attend vaccination appointment. In their latest blog, Dr Nikki Kanani and Claire Murdoch discuss some of the key adaptations which should be available for people with SMI to support them to access their vaccination. The blog also includes a suite of support resources from our third sector partners.   

Free training for COVID-19 vaccination staff and volunteers

Thank you to those who have signed up for the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) free training on supporting people with sight loss. There are still some places left of the training, which is available to staff and volunteers working on the COVID-19 vaccine programme. You can pick from three short online training modules covering communication, how to guide, and the experiences of people with sight loss, relevant to your time in the vaccination programme and beyond. Simply visit www.enetlearn.com/vaccinesupport and click the “register” button to access the training.

COVID-19 Vaccination Programme – workspace

Primary care

Update on 2021-22 flu ordering

People aged 50 to 64 year olds are expected to be included as an eligible cohort for the 2021/22 flu season. The flu reimbursement letter is currently being updated to reflect the inclusion and will be republished imminently. Providers are asked to await the updated flu reimbursement letter for more information.

RCN Position Statement on Registered Nursing Associates (RNAs) Training in Cervical Screening

The RCN has issued a statement acknowledging that they recognise that RNAs carry out cervical screening, in line with national standards. Service and education providers should be confident that appropriate and relevant training and supervision is in place and aware that extra training may be required.

Guide to help healthcare systems get back on track with cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention

New guidance ‘CVD prevention during and after the COVID-19 pandemic’ examines how rates of stroke, heart disease and vascular dementia are closely linked to health inequalities, which have widened during the pandemic. It offers a package of tools to help reverse this trend and features best practice case studies and innovation from across England to help reduce national variation.

The guide is aimed at those responsible for planning or delivering CVD prevention programmes in integrated care systems and is the latest in a series of stroke/CVD guides produced during the pandemic which include:

• CVD prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic: a guide for primary care
• Restoration and recovery of stroke services during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Adapting stroke services in the COVID-19 pandemic

The National Falls Prevention Coordination Group (NFPCG) Progress Report

This report summarises and makes clear the actions and achievements of this national group during 2019/20 and 2020/21 and notes areas for future focus. The group has produced a number of resources to help support local systems during the COVID-19 pandemic which are detailed in the report.

The NFPCG is made up of 40 organisations involved in the prevention of falls and care of fall-related injuries in England. It published the Falls and Fractures Consensus Statement in January 2017 and an evidence briefing on Multifactorial falls-prevention interventions in March 2019. The group is currently hosted by Public Health England.

Down’s Syndrome Community receive second vaccine doses in Suffolk on World Down's Syndrome Day

Almost 170 people with​in the Down’s Syndrome Community received the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Suffolk on Sunday - World Down’s Syndrome Day (21 March). Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust teamed up with Project 21, a charity supporting people with Down’s Syndrome, to run a dedicated clinic at Gainsborough Sports Centre on the day of the global event. 

The adult patients were greeted with balloons and music and given a small gift in celebration of World Down’s Syndrome Day, which aims to raise public awareness and advocate for the well-being of people with Down’s Syndrome. 

Ruth May, NHS England and NHS Improvement, Chief Nursing Officer took part by helping to vaccinate people and commented on the importance of the work. Justin Tomlinson, Minister for Disabled People recorded a special video message talking about the difference this kind of partnership working can make in increasing uptake amongst people with a learning disability.

COVID play for South Asian communities

On 20 March, Chai Cup Productions webcast a bilingual play ‘Corona – Umeed naa khona!’ (Corona – Don’t lose hope!) – in Urdu and English about the impact of the pandemic on a South Asian family. This was followed by a live Q&A session where the attendees had the opportunity to ask questions of an expert panel.

The pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on BAME groups, including the South Asian communities. Drama is seen as an innovative way to engage audiences from this community where there is concern about the low take up of vaccinations. The cast consists of Yorkshire-based NHS staff including 5 hospital consultants and a GP, who have been raising awareness of issues such as dementia, end-of-life and now COVID through drama. The expert panel responded to queries such as about taking the vaccine during Ramadan, measures to address the fake vaccine news in the South Asian community and risk for people with heart conditions.

The group is exploring holding similar online events for other community groups across Yorkshire and nationally. The next event is on 10 April 2021 at 7 pm and is free, email to register.

NHS Operational Planning Guidance for 2021/22

The NHS England and NHS Improvement Board has approved Operational Planning Guidance for 2021/22, detailing six priority areas for the year ahead:

1.      Supporting staff and growing the workforce.

2.      Delivering the vaccination programme and treating patients with Covid-19.

3.      Accelerating the recovery of elective, cancer, mental health and maternity care.

4.      Expanding primary care capacity.

5.      Transforming community and urgent and emergency care.

6.      Working collaboratively across systems.

Integrated Care Systems will now develop their own plans, to be completed by early June.

Read our story on the plans here, and the guidance here.

Podcast: Vaccinating people with a learning disability and autistic people

In our latest Primary Care Network podcast, Fazilla Amide, whose 17 year old son has complex health needs, a learning disability and autism, discusses the importance of collaborative working across health and social care to ensure the best outcomes can be achieved for people with a learning disability and autistic people in vaccination appointments. The podcast provides advice and support around good communication, the range of reasonable adjustments that should be considered, needle phobia, as well as some specific examples of good practice.

Dates for your diary

Wednesday 31 March, 6pm – 7.15pm. The eye care digital playbook – how digital technology and connectivity can help deliver service improvement and transformation

Wednesday 7 April, 1pm – 2pm. Introduction to the GP referral pathway to the Community Pharmacist Consultation Service and how to implement it

Wednesday 28 April, 5.30pm – 7pm. Primary care networks webinar: A focus on additional roles reimbursement scheme and recruitment

Link of the day

COVID-19 rapid guideline: managing COVID-19