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Primary Care Bulletin - this week's round-up
17 March 2022
Dear colleagues,
As the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine continues, the NHS has been working with government to provide life-saving treatment to 21 children with cancer from the Ukraine at hospitals across the country.
Further planning for support as requested by government is underway, whether that is those who have had their treatment interrupted, have been injured or those who have become refugees. To be most effective for the people who need it, these support efforts must be properly co-ordinated, as part of the overall UK Government-led response.
As such, we ask that, rather than trying to contact Ukrainian or neighbouring authorities directly with offers of support, NHS organisations direct their contributions to England.incident14@nhs.net.
The government has published further information on how the public can help with support for Ukraine, which includes details of the Disasters Emergency Committee, a coalition of 15 leading UK charities, which has launched its collective appeal to provide emergency aid and rapid relief to civilians suffering during the conflict.
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
COVID-19 updates
Accessing supply for spring vaccination
There is sufficient COVID-19 vaccine supply to meet expected demand during the spring campaign. To minimise waste during the first four weeks, weekly site-level allocations will be made based on expected demand profiles with an additional buffer. This equates to additional supply being made available to cover at least 130% of the expected demand in the first week, on top of existing stock already available in the network. Only sites that have completed a stock check within the last seven days will be able to place orders against their allocation.
Currently, all sites have the opportunity to request additional allocation via their system on submission of supporting evidence. Additional requests will be rejected if there is a risk of over supplying against expected demand. These can be submitted on a weekly basis to meet changes in demand. Max caps are set in the system until w/c 4 April inclusive.
General practice
Locally procured pneumococcal vaccine claims from April 2022
From 1 April 2022, practices will not be able to claim for locally procured pneumococcal (PPV23) vaccine administered. To support any outstanding and exceptional pneumococcal vaccine claims effective from this date, practices will be required to use a FP10 prescription form instead of the FP34PD/D appendix form for:
- historic claims for locally procured PPV23 vaccine administered on or before 31 March 2022 and claimed in accordance with the timeframe set out in the Statement of Financial Entitlements, and
- prospective and exceptional claims for locally procured childhood pneumococcal vaccine when administered to an adult for clinical reasons.
Workforce data submission reminder for practices and PCNs
NHS Digital will extract the latest general practice and PCN workforce data from the National Workforce Reporting Service (NWRS) at the end of the month. Practices and PCNs should log into their Strategic Data Collections Service (SDCS) account to check their workforce details and update as necessary. This information is crucial for planning new workforce supply and support to primary care teams.
Community pharmacy
Working towards the end of Pharmacy Collect
The last delivery from UKHSA to Alliance Healthcare UK is this Friday 18 March. Alliance will continue to deliver LFDs up until Friday March 25, but stock availability cannot be guaranteed. Pharmacy contractors should only order stock they require and distribute remaining stock according to need. Unused kits will not be able to be returned.
Payment claims can be submitted up to 30 April for kits distributed up to 31 March. No payment will be made for tests distributed after this time. We will shortly be issuing a checklist to help pharmacies to close the service locally. Marketing assets are available on the Campaign Resource Centre to put up in your premises, when required. For queries contact: pharmacy.collect.queries@dhsc.gov.uk.
Primary care
Entries now open for new HSJ Award recognising innovation and improvement in reducing healthcare inequalities
A new HSJ award category recognises innovative and creative initiatives which aim to reduce healthcare inequalities. Award entries should focus on the most deprived communities, inclusion health groups, ethnic minority communities and/or other groups experiencing poorer-than-average care. They can also relate specifically to one of the ‘5’ clinical areas of focus within the Core20PLUS5 approach. Judges are looking for entries that drive tangible improvements in access, experiences and outcomes for patients, carers and communities. Visit the HSJ website to find out more.
Greener Nursing Practice Award
The Greener NHS are proud to be supporting the 'Greener Nursing Practice' award at this year's RCNi awards. This award recognises individual or teams of nurses, students or nursing support workers in any specialty who are working to improve healthcare's environmental impact, for example carbon reduction projects or reducing single use plastics in their workplace. Applications close 25 March 2022.
Apply for the NHS Regional Clinical Fellowship Scheme
The NHS Regional Clinical Fellowship Scheme is open to all seven professional groups: AHPs, Doctors, Dentists, Midwives, Nurses, Pharmacists and Scientists. Aimed at clinicians working at the equivalent at B7 level. We are funding 25k of salary contributions to host organisations so clinicians can be released on a 0.6 FTE to participate in a fully funded 12-month leadership development programme. Successful participants will participate in a multi-professional leadership programme led at regional level with structured learning, development, mentoring and project work. Applications close 23 March 2022 at 5pm.
Looking after our primary care people – health and wellbeing engagement event
Primary care colleagues from across general practice, dentistry, optometry and pharmacy are invited to join an informative MS Teams event on 6 April at 5pm - 6.30pm. This event will be a great opportunity to hear about current, dedicated health and wellbeing support offers available and will take a particular focus on how you and your colleagues can seek support through your local mental health hubs.
Clinical Review of Standards for Cancer
A consultation on the approach recommended by the CRS for cancer services is running from 9 March until 6 April 2022 to capture views from the public, wider stakeholders and other interested organisations. We welcome responses to all or some of the questions in the consultation document. The proposals set out an approach to modernising and streamlining cancer waiting times standards, refocusing performance measures on the NHS Long Term Plan objective of earlier and faster diagnosis, while continuing to incentivise the best clinical care. Please complete the consultation document to provide your feedback or email england.reviewofstandards@nhs.net.
Type 1 Diabetes – Peer Support Networks
In partnership with Diabetes UK and JDRF, we are aiming to ensure that every person with Type 1 Diabetes has access to a peer support network. We are also setting out quality and training standards that will provide a resource for existing and new networks to support their members and group leaders.
We have mapped out existing resources and infrastructure and have captured groups aligned with Diabetes UK and JDRF. We need your help so we can understand all the available resources to ensure appropriate referrals. If you don’t believe your group or network has been captured, please email england.supportedselfmanagement@nhs.net.
New primary and community care MSK toolkit
A new toolkit is now available which provides best practice clinical guidance and evidenced based resources to support musculoskeletal (MSK) recovery and transformation opportunities across the MSK pathway for patients with hip and knee osteoarthritis, spinal pain and sciatica and shoulder pain in primary and community care.
Developed with external organisations and lived experience partners, the toolkit is aimed at clinical and commissioning leads as well as clinical services, to help support MSK service improvements. The toolkit is available in the Best MSK Health Collaborative toolbox on Future NHS.
New funding for NHS Anchor institutions to test approaches to tackling health inequalities
In partnership with The Health Foundation, we have selected six anchor institutions to receive funding that will enable them to make progress on their anchor ambitions and generate new learning for the Health Anchors Learning Network (HALN). We have co-funded five of the projects based in England which will aim to narrow the health inequalities gap. Read more about the health inequalities projects.
Key dates
Upcoming events and webinars
Various dates, March. Getting ready for patients to have access to their future data. For GPs / operational staff and primary care commissioners.
21 March, 3.30pm – 5.15pm. Community Mental Health: Roadmap for Transformation and ARRS
22 March, 11am – 12pm. An introduction to working with people and communities
22 March, 5pm – 6pm. Dermatology Transformation webinar
23 March, 1pm – 2pm. Vulnerable migrants: meeting health, wellbeing and safeguarding needs
23 March, 7pm – 8pm. New Pathway for Uncontrolled Asthma
24 March, 10am – 11am. Implementing shared decision making: Putting NICE guidance into practice
24 March, 8pm. Next Generation GP Webinar on Leading Greener Practice
28 March, 10am – 12pm – 1pm. Helping health professionals put shared decision making into practice
30 March, 10am – 11am. Inspire, Engage, Motivate: Engaging patients as volunteers
30 March, 1.30pm – 2.30pm. Social Prescribing Data processes/evidence and impact
31 March, 1.30pm – 3pm. Innovation in COVID-19 Vaccine Equalities practice and other areas of health
6 April, 5pm – 6.30pm. Looking after our primary care people – Health and wellbeing engagement event
Link of the week
