Primary Care Bulletin

11 August 2022

Dear colleagues,

Feedback from the 2020/21 GP Bureaucracy Review identified GP registration as a high volume and difficult task for practices and patients. In response, NHS England and NHS Digital teams have been working with 50 practices to modernise the process, including co-developing the ‘Register with a GP surgery' online service.

Over 9,000 successful registrations have taken place to date and early testing has shown the service has reduced the application processing time by up to 15 minutes for practice staff, whilst offering patients more choice, convenience, and consistency in the way they register. The team now want to work with more practices to enhance the service further and fine tune additional features, including an improved paper form option to sit alongside the online service, and integration with clinical systems and other NHS digital services, such as the NHS App.

We will be sharing further information about how practices can get involved as well as a demo of the new service at the next General Practice webinar on 1 September, so please do ensure you are registered to join. Alternatively, if you have any questions please contact england.register-gp-surgery.support@nhs.net.

We know it continues to be a busy summer, with another heatwave in progress in many areas of the country, and we hope you are taking time to look after yourself and your teams. We have a range of wellbeing support, including free and confidential coaching for individuals, teams and a bespoke service for colleagues from ethnic diverse backgrounds, as well as the wider support available for all NHS staff.

Ursula and Raj 

Key updates including COVID-19

Advanced systems outage

Advanced, a third-party software supplier, have advised us that they have been subject to an external cyber incident and have isolated all services while an investigation takes place. The affected systems include Adastra, CareSys, CareNotes, CrossCare and Staffplan.

A number of NHS services, including NHS 111, use the software that have been taken offline, which is impacting 111 referrals to GP practices, through GP access hubs, pharmacy and dental as well as mental health services. During this time an increase in direct calls from patients may be experienced. To support patients and 111 during this time, calls should be managed locally where possible and patients should not be directed to 111.

We are working closely with Advanced to restore services and only reconnect services when safe to do so. Full information on the impact and latest updates will be available on FutureNHS.

Poliovirus vaccines in London

Following the discovery of type 2 poliovirus in sewage in north and east London, all children aged one to nine years in London will be offered a dose of polio vaccine – whether it’s an extra dose or to catch up with their routine vaccinations. The NHS in London will contact parents when it's their child’s turn to come forward for a dose. The boroughs where polio has been found to date will be prioritised with rapid rollout across London. While this is affecting London areas, related queries may be received in other areas of the country. To assist in answering questions from the public an FAQ has been developed.

General practice

Reminder: 1 August changes to access requests for a deceased persons patient record

In line with the changes we made in March 2022 to the GP contract, the management of applications made under the Access to Health Records Act 1990 (AHRA) for deceased patient records has changed. GP Practices are no longer required to print off digitised records and send them to Primary Care Support England (PCSE) after the death of an individual.

From 1 August, the patient’s last registered GP, as the holder of the record, is responsible for responding to access requests under AHRA. Supplementary AHRA guidance is currently going through the approval process and will be published shortly.

Guidance is available if you require a copy of the deceased patient record, held by PCSE, to support an AHRA request.

Improvements to the Personal Demographic Service

The Personal Demographics Service (PDS) team are making some changes to the way addresses are updated in PDS records when they reach the Spine from your clinical systems. Spine will now filter out address updates where there is no real change to the address data. This is to improve the quality of patient addresses held in the system and reduce the admin burden for staff accepting these updates. They have designed the changes together with system suppliers to ensure this does not negatively impact systems that integrate with the PDS (such as SystmOne or EMIS Web).

Lipid management search tool 

The new lipid management search tool can now be used in all GP practices. It covers atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and the secondary prevention lipid pathway. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) kills 136,000 individuals a year and CVD prevention is a long-term NHS priority. The search tool uses information within primary care systems and a specific set of search criteria to identify patients who may benefit from a treatment intervention or review in line with NICE guidance.  

The searches can be run by each general practice, and while the use of this tool is not mandatory, it is designed to be an additional resource to help optimise patient care in lipid management. 

Innovation in general practice and regulation

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Yorkshire and Humber Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) has published findings from a research into how GP practices use innovative methods to address local health inequalities. The work will inform CQC’s developing regulatory approach. If you would like more information about this project, email the Yorkshire and Humber Academic Health Science Network.

Community pharmacy

Independent Prescribing courses 2022-23 – HEE Autumn training offer now live

The ability to independently prescribe is crucial for pharmacists delivering care across the NHS. Working with partners and stakeholders, Health Education England (HEE) are developing funded training offers for pharmacists aiming to become independent prescribers.

Such training will enable the provision of new models of care: supporting patients from diagnosis to prescribing, providing advice and follow-up, and preparing pharmacists to provide clinical care, as pharmacy services become more widespread within emerging clinical pathways.

Primary care

National obesity dashboard

The first data output for the National Obesity Dashboard is now available. The data from this dashboard is part of the National Obesity Audit which launched in April 2022. This is a new and evolving dashboard which will capture information from other weight management services, contributing to a fuller picture of all the different types of services available to and supporting people manage their weight across England.

Guidance on working with people and communities

We have published statutory guidance for Integrated Care Boards, NHS trusts and foundation trusts on working with people and communities. It supports them to meet their public involvement legal duties and deliver the Health and Care Act’s ‘triple aim’ of better health and wellbeing, improved quality of services and the sustainable use of resources.

The guidance supports NHS organisations to build collaborative and meaningful partnerships with people, including by working with the VCSE sector to understand different communities’ needs and to involve them in decisions about health and care services. Join one of the webinars listed in the webinars section to find out more.

Sickle Cell Disease: clinical care pathways review

The NHS Health Inequalities Improvement Programme (HIIP) is working with stakeholders to improve services for people with Sickle Cell Disease. A review of the clinical healthcare pathway for sickle cell disease is being undertaken with reports of significant gaps in the quality of healthcare. Work is then being conducted to review the healthcare pathway for primary care services, community care services, personalised care, palliative care and end of life.

We want to hear from anyone with expert knowledge of sickle cell disease primary care pathways who have examples of initiatives, innovations and planned or current service improvements that are working well and designed to improve access, experience, and outcomes. To get involved, nominate someone, or share any relevant materials, please email scwcsu.scdreview@nhs.net by Thursday 25 August 2022.

Apprenticeships and Leadership Programmes

The NHS Leadership Academy has partnered with apprenticeship providers offering apprenticeships in a range of disciplines at different levels. Upon completion participants gain both an apprenticeship and a Leadership Academy award. For those looking for standalone leadership development, the Leadership Academy programmes are now open. All programmes are suitable for both clinical and non-clinical staff.

New online course for better Non-Sterile Disposable Glove Use 

The ‘non-sterile disposable glove use’ course is designed to provide information and guidance to all health and social care staff on when gloves are or aren’t needed. Gloves are a key part of the working day for many staff and are essential for some tasks but can sometimes be overused. Join the conversation and help to start tackling the environmental and financial consequence of glove overuse. Find out more on the PPE learning platform.

Upcoming events and webinars

Various dates, August – December. Public participation online learning programme

17 August, 1pm – 2.30pm. Social prescribing: focusing on strengths and asset-based approaches

23 August, 11am – 12.30pm. Online tools for engagement

24 August, 11am – 12pm. Peer Leadership: Our approach to enabling coproduction

30 August, 3pm – 4pm. Introducing the health inclusion tool

Various dates, September – December. New statutory guidance on working with people and communities  

1 September, 2pm – 3pm. Patient Participation groups and the art of the possible

12 September, 12.30pm – 1.30pm. Priorities for Long COVID

14 September, 1pm – 2.30pm. Faith organisations and social prescribing

15 September, 12.30pm – 2pm. Long COVID interventional research studies

Link of the week

Supporting vulnerable people before and during a heatwave: for health and social care professionals