Primary care bulletin - 7 August 2024
Bulletin:
Information about Pharmacy First; Introducing Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs); Cancer GP Bulletin; and more

Welcome to this week's primary care bulletin

Key points this week include:
  • Information about Pharmacy First
  • Taking laptops and Surface tablets outside the UK
  • Are your medicines working for you? Translations for SMRs
  • My Health London expression of interest
  • Introducing Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs)
  • Trauma at work - Keeping Well NW London
  • Cancer GP Bulletin
  • iQuest cervical sample request forms
  • Digital Weight Management Programme (DWMP) is open for referrals 
Training and webinars including:
  • UKHSA immunisation update webinar dates for September 2024 to January 2025
  • Clinical and ethical approaches to deprescribing and mental health polypharmacy webinar
  • Polypharmacy action learning set foundation course
  • NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme webinars
There are also various job opportunities in the bulletin.

If you have any submissions for this bulletin please email them to the communications inbox - nhsnwl.communications.nwl@nhs.net deadline for content is 3pm Monday
To view any previous editions click here

Information about Pharmacy First


It would be an understatement to say that we are facing significant challenges in primary care at the moment, but the Pharmacy First programme has offered us a considerable opportunity for General Practice and Community Pharmacy to work better together. 

It is clear that good quality communication between providers, and an integrated IT interface are key to success, and a mechanism for this has been created in GP Connect. Without this activated, communication would be archaic and manual, with both workload and risk implications for Primary Care.

The enclosed pack (attachment one and attachment two) contains more information as well as FAQs (also available on the NHS England website NHS England » GP Connect Update Record: FAQs) which we hope can offer some much-needed clarity and reassurance to general practice colleagues and system partners. The GP Connect: Update Record webpages have also been updated. I would like to draw your attention to the following key points: 
  1. GPs continue to have the choice of whether to use this improved way of receiving post consultation summaries directly into workflow or continue receiving these communications via NHSmail or letter for manual transcribing. 
  2. Update Record has been designed with and for general practice to minimise patient safety issues and reduce practice teams administrative burdens.
  3. Switching off Update Record places greater burden on community pharmacy teams and general practice teams
  4. General practices have an opportunity to opt in for a trial period to receive community pharmacy consultation summaries via Update Record and provide feedback
We would be grateful if you could cascade these comms and appreciate all support that you can offer to help us move this forward together.

Do contact us via the Regional Digital Transformation team england.londondtt@nhs.net if you have specific queries relating to this.

Taking NHS NW London issued laptops and Surface tablets outside of the UK


Please note that due to raised security risk, you must obtain approval from the ICT Security and Information Governance Teams, in addition to your line management, before taking your NHS NW London issued device outside of the UK.

All  issued laptops and surface tablets are monitored and tracked by the ICT department for information governance and cyber security purposes. Any device identified as connecting from outside the UK without approval may be disabled.

The NW London ICT Remote Working Policy and the procedure containing the approval process will shortly be finalised, and we will update you when this is available.

To request approval please contact the ICT Service Desk at nhsnwl.servicedesk@nhs.net

Are your medicines working for you? Translations for SMRs  


ICHP are looking to roll out the translated Polypharmacy – Are Your Medicines Working For You? across the wider NW London footprint. The patient facing checklist aims to help patients and health professionals have conversations about medicines. Are Your Medicines Working For You? focuses on empowering patients to have discussions and structured medication review with their GP, Practice Pharmacist, or other health professional.

For further information and/or to get involved with the ICHP Polypharmacy Programme please contact  

catherine.caldwell@imperialcollegehealthpartners.com

Introducing Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs)


Working in a more integrated way will have a greater impact on health, wellbeing and the quality of care we deliver. 

We are in the process of developing Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs). Having INTs will provide more joined up care for residents which will be achieved by having a variety of partners with different expertise working together. Find out more including the vision, why we are creating them and how they will benefit patients here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqhM6ya_Wns

Trauma at Work - Keeping Well NW London


As health and social care staff we are more likely to potentially experience highly stressful and traumatic events due to the nature of our work. This can be anything from experiencing bullying, threatened or actual violence, witnessing death or dealing with organisational changes such as redundancy and restructure.   

Though not everyone who experiences a traumatic event will go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), recent research has identified healthcare workers experience PTSD at twice the rate to the general population (Scott et al., 2022)

For more about supporting yourself in the event of a traumatic experience, see the dedicated Keeping Well trauma information page

We are here to support you. Get in touch with us by:     

Telephone: 0300 123 1705  

Email: keepingwell.nwl@nhs.net     

Complete a self-referral form

My Health London expression of interest


The MyHealth London platform soft launched in February 2024, designed to support individuals either living with or at risk of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) through effective self-management, MyHealth London | CVD, the website has been well received by patients and clinician with over 80,000 page views so far.

We're inviting more practices to sign up to phase. One of My Health London, numbers are limited, we wanted to invite practices from the most deprived PCNs first, so now it’s been opened up wider

Next step is to sign up via the DCC (Data Controller Console) similar to what your practice did for Know Diabetes, if you can fill in this expression of interest form here, or contact Digital Programme Manager Ian Reddington i.reddington1@nhs.net the MyHealthLondon operations team can facilitate this and ensure the invite gets sent out to your practice as part of phase one. The platform provides the following:
  • Access to curated information and structured education covering hypertension, CVD, and related conditions.
  • Guidance and tools for implementing lifestyle changes, including culturally-tailored meal plans and exercise support.
  • Information on local programmes and support offers.
  • Person-centred communication via email, delivering timely and relevant information aligned with individual needs and preferences.
  • Access to their latest readings via a personalised health dashboard, where they can set targets and see progress over time (coming soon).
See attached the My Health London leaflets for patients and healthcare professionals for GP practices.

Cancer GP Bulletin


This cancer GP bulletin (attached) contains updates for GPs and their practice staff on the following:
  1. NHS London Cancer Alliance Cervical Screening Campaign running until 12th August 2024 - all practice staff
  2. FIT Compliance -  GPs and practice managers (a) Outcome of NWL FIT Compliance achievement for 23/24 (b) Investment and Impact Fund Incentive 24/25 – Change to Indicator (CAN 04)
  3. Gateway C training: Lower GI cancers and symptomatic FIT Testing – Wednesday 14th August 2024 – 7pm – all GPs
  4. C the Signs training webinars – all practice staff
  5. West London Primary Care education – all practice staff

tQuest cervical sample request forms 


Having noted a sharp decline in use of tQuest cervical sample request forms since the implementation of CSMS, Cervical Screening London (CSL) laboratory has developed communications embedded below, this is to remind sample takers to use tQuest forms (and not HMR101 forms).

Also embedded is the July 2024 Cervical Screening Administration Service (CSAS) update.

CSL has reported
 
TAP5520_CSL_Urgent_Update_Tquest_V1.pdf 
London CSAS Update July 24.pdf 

Digital Weight Management Programme (DWMP) is open for referrals 


This well-established 12-week programme supports patients with diabetes hypertension or both is open for referrals. 

Practices are entitled to £11.50 for referrals made for one patient up to the limit of their referral allocation. One referral is funded per person for either DWMP, Local Authority funded Tier 2 wm services, NDPP, T2DR or Tier 3 & 4. 

The referral form is on EMIS and SystmOne. See how to refer here.

For further information see here: NHS England » Information for healthcare professionals

Link to NHSE ES: NHS England » Enhanced service specification – weight management 2024/25

Link to professionals toolkit: NHS England » The NHS Digital Weight Management Programme: Healthcare professional toolkit

Job Opportunities

The following roles are now available on NHS Jobs 


Closing date is 14 August 2024

Clinical Lead - Respiratory and Post Covid Syndrome

Clinical Lead - Cardiovascular Disease and Renal

Closing date is 18 August 2024

Clinical Lead - Personalisation

Clinical Lead - Borough IT and Digital

Education and training

UKHSA immunisation update webinar dates for September 2024 to January 2025


Immunisers in primary care in London can access free immunisation update training across 2024. The series of webinars are designed to support immunisers to fulfil the requirement for annual immunisation updates and are free to access.

See the dates attached.

Clinical and ethical approaches to deprescribing and mental health polypharmacy in primary care webinar on 18 September 2024 


Dr Waseem Jerjes and Imperial College Health Partners would like to invite you to attend our upcoming Clinical and Ethical Approaches to Deprescribing and Mental Health Polypharmacy in Primary Care webinar on Wednesday18 September 2024 from 12pm to 2pm. In this session we will focus on understanding and managing polypharmacy in primary care, with an emphasis on deprescribing and mental health polypharmacy. This masterclass aims to equip healthcare professionals with practical strategies to optimise medication regimens, improve patient outcomes, and address the complexities associated with polypharmacy. Please bring along any questions for discussion.  

Please click here to register for the session. 

Feel free to circulate this invite to other colleagues who may be interested.

For further information and/or to get involved with the ICHP Polypharmacy Programme please contact

catherine.caldwell@imperialcollegehealthpartners.com

Polypharmacy action learning set foundation course

ICHP are pleased to announce the second cohort of the Polypharmacy Action Learning Set Foundation (ALSF). This is a pilot educational opportunity for primary care clinicians not yet eligible for the Polypharmacy ALS.

The eligibility criteria is listed below.

Pharmacists: 2 years' experience or less in primary care or less than 12 months as a prescriber (not yet eligible for the Polypharmacy Action Learning Set 3-day programme)

Pharmacy technicians: Band 5 and above, having completed or undertaking the PCPEP programme with at least 2 years' primary care experience.

The course content has been developed and will be delivered by Health Innovation Wessex. Cohort Two is set to run on the 24th of September and 8th of October from 9.30am to 12pm on both days.

ICHP have three spaces for this cohort, delegates must commit to both sessions.

If you would like to attend this session, please email catherine.caldwell@imperialcollegehealthpartners.com stating in no more than 100 words, why you are interested in attending.

NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission (T2DR) Programme webinars


Counterweight is pleased to announce a new webinar series to support improved understanding and awareness of the T2DR programme. Please see the document attached for dates and links to the webinars about this 12 month programme for patients living with Type 2 diabetes. They will run 4 sessions per topic at various times to allow everyone an opportunity to join. 

You can also make contact with Veronica (veronica.wessels@counterweight.org) directly to receive an invite for your preferred session.

Counterweight is happy to announce a new webinar series that we kick off next week. This is all with reference to the Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme. 

Topic 1: Programme overview and how to refer

Wednesday 7 August 2024, 1pm Join webinar here

Tuesday 13 August 2024, 12pm  Join webinar here


Topic 2: A deeper look into the service user journey

Thursday 22 August 2024, 10am, Join webinar here

Wednesday 28 Aug 2024, 4pm, Join webinar here

Wednesday 4 Sep 2024, 1pm, Join webinar here

Tuesday 10 Sep 2024, 12pm, Join webinar here