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North & South Essex Local Medical Committees
Welcome to the August 2022 edition of our e-newsletter. This publication is sent to all Essex GP Practices via their Practice Managers. However, we encourage anyone who would like to receive this email directly, to subscribe below.
Essex PCN Conference 2022
and Business Skills Workshops
We are pleased to announce details of the inaugural Essex LMC PCN Conference which will be held on Wednesday 21st September 2022 at The Lion House, Boreham. We hope that you will be able to join us for what should be a very informative day and will also offer an opportunity to network with other CDs and Managers from across Essex.
The next Qualitas 'Pathway to Partnership' programme starts in October 2022 and they are already half full. This is for Partners working in General Practice looking to accelerate their professional development and help their practice thrive and succeed.
Full course details can be found here - https://qualitasconsortium.uk/training-programmes/
The programme is open to experienced and new partners working in General Practice. Funding is available for new partners through the NHS England New to Partnership Scheme.
National Standards of Health Cleanliness
GPC has previously confirmed that the National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness 2021 are not applicable to General Practice. Practices are again beginning to receive mixed messages on this so the LMC asked GPC if the position remained the same.
GPC has shared the CQC Mythbuster: Infection prevention and control in General Practice, which confirms the GPC view.
Patient Access to Records Update
System changes in respect of patient online access to GP records are now expected to go-live on 1st November 2022. To further support practices to prepare for the national switch on, the LMC will be running another series of information sessions in early September 2022 facilitated by Jane Marley. These will be open to all Essex practices, lunchtime and evening sessions will be available but places will be limited in order to aid any Q&As. The booking process is again being supported by EQUIP and links to register for each session can be found below.
Trust registration requirements
Please see below an update on trust registration requirements:
On 10 January 2020, the Fifth Money Laundering Directive (5MLD) was transposed into UK law. One objective of the 5MLD was to broaden the scope of trusts required to comply with and sign up to the Trust Register Service (TRS), which may apply to some GP surgeries depending on how they are structured.
Property-owning GP partners may be required to register, particularly where the names on the land registry entry do not match the names of the property-owning partners, or where there are more than five surgery-owning partners. Similarly, and depending on the precise wording of your Primary Care Network (PCN) agreement, monies held by one practice on behalf of a PCN could be construed as the formation of a trust and may trigger a registration requirement.
Unless exempt, 5MLD requires the express trusts to register with the TRS. HMRC has published guidance on what may constitute an express trust and instances where exemptions may apply. Please click on the links below for more information
If you are unsure whether you need to register with the TRS, it is important that you receive independent legal advice, as a failure to register may result in financial and criminal penalties. The deadline for registration is 1 September 2022.
Do you need help with PCSE cases?
Have you waited for more than 40 days for a response from PCSE for a case raised with them? Are you experiencing financial hardship as a result? Or, is there a risk to patient safety? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then the LMC can help you.
Practice Manager Supporter Scheme
"It is a fantastic service, thank you."
"Very grateful to be seen within 24hrs of my request, it really helped me through a current difficult time."
"Really helpful and supportive for a new PM."
"Fantastic service for new managers."
“PMSS is a great scheme, well thought and very helpful to new practice managers. The PM role of is quite challenging, especially after the pandemic, but knowing that there’s always someone with experience offering help and advice in no time is an absolute godsend. Trish has been an excellent adviser for some of my challenges, she’s professional and very approachable. I hope the scheme will continue to offer much needed support the PM role. Thank you!”
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Just some of the comments above that we have received for our Practice Manager Supporter Scheme. Are you a Practice Manager or a Deputy Practice Manager and in need of support?
Essex LMCs launched the PMSS in December 2021. In the event that you may have missed details of the scheme, please click below, which tells you about the service. This is free to access and is available to all Practice Managers and Assistant/Deputy Practice Managers in Essex.
Peer to Peer Support
Support can be offered in person, virtually or on the telephone. All support requests are strictly confidential between you and your supporter. It is important to note that the supporters are not able to offer any legal advice but can signpost their colleagues towards useful resources and assistance.
Peer to Peer Appraisal
A Peer to Peer (Practice Manager to Practice Manager) appraisal scheme is currently undergoing live testing (Beta testing) and we hope to be able to have this available to all very soon. The service has been fully funded by all the Essex ICBs so there will be no cost to you or the practice. It is a useful professional development tool, and will be an opportunity to think about what you have/want to accomplish professionally and help you to define your goals. If you would like to be included in the beta testing phase, please contact Sarah Bell
Essex LMCs on Social Media
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