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Primary Care Bulletin - this week's round-up
14 April 2022
Dear colleagues,
UKHSA has this evening published revised UK IPC Guidance. This takes into account UKHSA’s latest assessment of the scientific evidence, but also the feedback from local providers on the ongoing impact on capacity that IPC measures are having. This revised guidance contains important changes in relation to the isolation of COVID-19 positive inpatients and their contacts.
These changes to the UK IPC Guidance signal a further step in the transition back to pre-pandemic IPC measures.
In-line with the flexibility afforded within the Guidance, UKHSA support returning to pre-pandemic physical distancing in all areas, including in emergency departments, ambulances and patient transport, as well as all primary care, inpatient and outpatient settings, and returning to pre-pandemic cleaning protocols outside of COVID-19 areas, with enhanced cleaning only required in areas where patients with suspected or known infection are being managed.
This transition to pre-pandemic IPC measures is further supported by the publication of an IPC Manual for England. Providers should make plans to assure themselves that they have implemented the standard IPC measures outlined in the Manual as soon as possible.
All providers should follow the new COVID-19 testing arrangements introduced from 1 April which outline implementation of UKHSA’s advice on NHS patient and staff testing, including agreed protocols for the use of PCR and LFD tests.
Our letter setting out these changes has been issued this evening.
Next week, we are delighted to announce that we will be re-commencing our series of webinars focused on Primary Care Networks, starting on Thursday, 21 April at 5pm. In this session we’ll be exploring the PCN workforce and some of the roles covered by the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS).
We will be joined by some fantastic teams who will share details of how they have recruited roles including Social Prescribing Link Workers, Care Co-ordinators, Health and Wellbeing Coaches, Nursing Associates and Trainee Nursing Associates, and Mental Health Practitioners into their practice team. There will also be an interactive Q&A to round-up the session, so please do come along with your contributions. To attend, you will need to register online.
As we approach the Easter bank holiday, we know many colleagues may be working hard across the long weekend. We hope you’re all able to take some time to rest over the weekend.
Nikki and Ursula
Dr Nikki Kanani
GP and Medical Director for Primary Care,
Deputy SRO, COVID-19 Vaccination Deployment Programme
NHS England and NHS Improvement
Dr Ursula Montgomery
GP and Interim Director for Primary Care NHS England and NHS Improvement
Ukraine crisis updates
Ukraine resources
A number of new resources are available for health care professionals caring for patients arriving from Ukraine. University Hospital Southampton have produced a medicines resource that will be particularly useful for pharmacists who need to identify alternative medicines available in the UK. It contains links to a range of related resources.
Contact details for Medicines Information centres are also available at the Specialist Pharmacy Service website.
As a reminder, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has produced advice for primary care professionals and Doctors of the World have translated a number of their resources for patients into Ukrainian and Russian.
COVID-19 updates
Referring patients for COVID-19 antibody and antiviral treatments
We have recently written to GP practices to explain changes to the COVID-19 treatments pathway and their role in helping patients to access treatment. Patients eligible for community COVID-19 antibody and antiviral treatments are advised to test using lateral flow tests. Most patients who test positive, and have reported the result via gov.uk or 119, should be contacted by a COVID Medicines Delivery Unit (CMDU) about treatment.
However, if a patient is not contacted by a CMDU within 24 hours of registering their positive test result, they have been advised to contact their GP practice, 111, or specialist clinician, so that they can make an urgent referral. GP practices can refer these patients to CMDUs via eRS (or the locally agreed alternative if applicable). GPs do not need to prescribe COVID treatments under this policy, but practices should refer potentially eligible patients to the CMDU. Further detail on how to refer a patient to CMDU is outlined in the recent letter.
Additional funding for clinical leadership within the COVID-19 vaccination programme
From April - June 2022, there will be funding available for an additional 0.25WTE Clinical Director time in recognition of the continued need for additional clinical leadership where PCN Groupings are still actively providing COVID Vaccinations. This funding is contingent on at least one core network practice actively participating in the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Where it is agreed with the local commissioner that a PCN Grouping will hibernate, the PCN would only be eligible for the enhancement if additional clinical leadership time were required to support surge planning and/or if they are reactivated.
Where all the practices in the PCN withdraw from the programme post April, they would not be eligible for the enhancement once the site closed. As now, should the PCN have at least one Core Network Practice signed up for only part of this time period, the calculated funding should be pro-rated per day accordingly. If the PCN ceases to have any Core Network Practice signed up to delivering the ES, this funding should be recouped. The CCG should provide the Region with the calculation of the amount that needs to be recovered.
For qualifying PCNs, this funding is distinct from, and in addition to CD funding agreed as part of the 22/23 contract funding arrangements.
Spring booster comms toolkit
Following the rollout of the spring booster programme, we’ve adapted our booster comms toolkit to cater for spring boosters. The toolkit includes template text for spring booster invitation letters, emails and text messages that you can use to invite patients. You can also find the revised booster FAQs and a link to the patient information leaflet.
Updates to the Long COVID eLearning for healthcare programme now available
We have worked in partnership with Health Education England eLearning for healthcare (HEE elfh) and Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust to develop further resources in the Long COVID eLearning programme. To access the eLearning, please visit the Long COVID programme page.
New PPE portal
The Department of Health and Social Care has implemented a replacement PPE Portal platform to better serve eligible providers in accessing COVID-19 related PPE stock, free of charge.
All portal customers have received an invitation to join the new PPE Portal platform, therefore the old PPE Portal platform will be closed on Tuesday 26 April. From this date, all users attempting to log-in to the closed PPE Portal platform will be automatically re-directed to the new PPE Portal platform, where you can continue ordering free PPE.
If you are an eligible portal customer, please check your inbox to find your invitation from ppe-portal@dhsc.gov.uk and sign up to the new Portal platform as soon as possible. If you have any queries, please contact our customer services team on 0800 876 680, Monday – Friday between 8:00am to 5:00pm.
General practice
National resource to support practice referrals to NHS CPCS
The Investment and Impact Fund (IIF) 2022/23 to increase referrals from general practice to the NHS Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (CPCS), came into effect on 1 April. Practices can now access support from our new national provider, Primary Care Commissioning (PCC), for help with implementation of the referral pathway, complementing existing resources already in place in regional teams. Find out more through your regional CPCS team contact.
Electronic transfers of suspended patient health records
From early May, you will electronically receive the ‘suspended’ health records of patients who are moving to your practice but are not currently registered with another practice.
These ‘suspended records’ provide information held before the patient left their previous practice and will arrive via the GP2GP system. Practices do not have to do anything. You will also continue to receive traditional record-keeping ‘Lloyd George’ paper envelopes from Primary Care Support England.
The new electronic transfer does not affect the procedure for patients leaving your practice’s list who have not registered at another practice. You will still need to print their electronic records in line with usual practice. You can find out more about these changes on FutureNHS (you will need to register if you don’t have an account).
Increase in hepatitis (liver inflammation) cases in children under investigation
UKHSA has recently detected higher than usual rates of liver inflammation (hepatitis) in children. Similar cases are being assessed in Scotland. Hepatitis is a condition that affects the liver and may occur for a number of reasons, including several viral infections common in children. However, in the cases under investigation the common viruses that cause hepatitis have not been detected.
UKHSA is working swiftly with the NHS and public health colleagues across the UK to investigate the potential cause.
Primary care
NHS Volunteer Responders: suspension of direct patient support
Direct services to patients from NHS Volunteer Responders (NHSVR) will be suspended from 13 May 2022 as the programme refocuses on current health and care challenges.
Final patient referral dates for delivery of shopping and medication, patient transport and telephone companionship are on the NHSVR website. Clients have been contacted by letter and those with additional vulnerabilities will automatically receive support until 13 May.
NHS organisations and community pharmacies can continue to request NHSVR support for vaccination Steward Volunteers and NHS goods transport services. To help shape the future volunteer programme email: england.voluntarypartnerships@nhs.net using the subject line NHSVR Engagement.
Survey: incident recording in primary care
We are trying to better understand incident recording in primary care and welcome colleagues to complete this short form to help with our research. The form takes around 8 minutes to complete.
Survey: Share your views to help shape future veterans mental and physical health services in England
We’ve launched a survey to find out people’s views of veterans mental and physical health services. The information gathered will be used to inform the development and provision of these services, in particular Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service and the Veterans Trauma Network.
Anyone can share their views, however, we are particularly keen to hear from veterans and their families and carers, whether or not they have used these services. In addition, we would like to hear from those providing care and support to them. The survey closes on 22 May 2022.
Case study: GP teams work together with members of health inequality groups to expand their COVID-19 vaccine equity project
In our latest primary care case study, read how a group of GPs ensured their COVID-19 vaccination programme was accessible to vulnerable groups across Crawley, East Surrey and Mid-Sussex, by working with local health inequality organisations and leaders to understand what matters to them.
Key dates
30 April 2022 – Workforce data submission deadline for practices
Upcoming events and webinars
Starting April - Demand and Capacity series
April – May. Core20PLUS5 - reducing healthcare inequalities series covering the five clinical priority areas outlined within the Core20PLUS5 approach.
April – July. Public Participation Online Learning sessions about working with people and communities.
21 April, 5pm – 6.30pm. Primary Care Networks - A focus on MDT roles
26 April, 1pm – 2pm. What are Decision Support Tools and how you use them in your practice
27 April, 1.30pm – 2.30pm. SPLW Webinar Series: Supporting refugees
28 April, 10am – 4pm. Start with People conference
This virtual conference is open to anyone working in health and care with an interest in engaging or improving engagement with people and communities.
28 April, 7pm – 8pm. Pharmacy team experience with CPCS
5 May, 5pm - 6pm. General practice webinar
11- 12 May. NHS Big Conversation for Improvement
18 May, 2pm – 3pm. Upcoming Wellbeing Wednesday
19 May, 7pm – 9pm. Inclusive Pharmacy Practice: Population Health Management Webinar for Community Pharmacy Professionals
Link of the week
