Primary care bulletin  - 11 September 2024
Bulletin:
Launch of COVID-19 vaccination programme; supporting residents released early from prison; Salmonella Blockley 5-SNP cluster t5.57; and more

Welcome to this week's primary care bulletin

Key points this week include:
  • Autumn/Winter 2024 COVID-19 vaccination programme launches from 3 October 2024
  • Information about Salmonella Blockley 5-SNP cluster t5.57
  • Supporting residents released early from prison
  • Supporting patients with asthma
  • Taking NHS NW London issued laptops and Surface tablets outside of the UK
  • NHS response to outbreak of Clade I Mpox in Eastern and Central Africa
  • The latest GP cancer bulletin
  • User guide on importing the SystmOne allowed list
Webinars and training, including:
  • ICHP Masterclass - Clinical and Ethical Approaches to Deprescribing and Mental Health Polypharmacy in Primary Care 
  • ICHP Masterclass - Safe Prescribing in Frailty: Tackling Overuse & Anticholinergic Risks
  • NICHP CVD Education Series – Lipid Management in Primary Care

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

Autumn/Winter 2024 COVID-19 vaccination programme launches from 3 October 2024

From Thursday 3 October 2024 to 20 December 2024, the seasonal COVID-19 vaccination will be available, free, for those who are at greatest risk of becoming seriously ill from the virus.

The national booking system will open to public on 23 September 2024 and a number of walk-in sites will be open across North West London from Thursday 3 October 2024. 

No booking is required at walk-in clinics, but you are advised to contact the vaccination site in advance to confirm their opening times. Individuals do not need to be registered with the NHS to use walk-in services and do not need to bring any identification.

Those eligible for vaccinations this Autumn/Winter 2024 are:
  • residents in a care home for older adults
  • all adults aged 65 years and over
  • pregnant people
  • persons aged 6 months to 64 years* in a clinical risk group, as defined in tables 3 and 4 of the COVID-19 chapter of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Green Book on immunisation against infectious disease.
*Please also note that not all sites offer vaccination to children and member of the public. It is advised to contact the site in advance to check this.

The list of North West London sites offering COVID-19 vaccination is available here.
More about details vaccination programme

Identifying and inviting (or signposting) of persons aged 6 months to 64 years who are in a clinical risk group AND Vaccination of infants aged 6 months to 4 year olds who are in a clinical risk group

The government has announced that a Covid-19 booster dose will be made available to individuals aged 6 months to 64 years in a clinical risk group as defined in tables 3 and 4 of the COVID-19 chapter of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Green Book on immunisation against infectious disease COVID-19 Greenbook chapter 14a (publishing.service.gov.uk).

National call/recall service will remind & invite patients on a clinical risk group letting them know that they are eligible for a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine this Autumn. 

The NHS North West London COVID-19 website is now fully up to date with the listings of confirmed vaccination centres and pharmacy sites within each borough, where people can book (from 23 September) or walk-in for their COVID-19 booster vaccination. Please also note that not all sites offer vaccination to children, so please contact the site in advance if child vaccination is required.

Any patient querying where they can get a booster vaccination can be directed to this NHS North West London webpage.

Click here for the actions required of all NW London practices.
Salmonella Blockley 5-SNP cluster t5.57

UKHSA, Public Health Scotland, Public Health Wales and Public Health Agency Northern Ireland, together with the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland are investigating a 5-single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) cluster of Salmonella Blockley (SNP address: 1.1.2.2.39.57%) identified through the analysis of whole genome sequencing (WGS) data. The purpose of this communication is to ensure healthcare professionals are aware of the current increase in cases, the national level investigation into the t5:57 cluster and the guidance and recommendations for action.

Read further information here.

Supporting residents released early from prison


Making sure GP practices and community pharmacy are ready to support individuals being released early from prison as part of the initiative to help tackle prison pressures.

Your support is needed to make sure the continuity of care for individuals who will be released from prison as part of a Ministry of Justice measure to help relieve prison capacity pressures.

Those eligible for this initiative will be released from prisons across England on 10 September and 22 October 2024.

Read the attached letter for further details.

Supporting patients with asthma


Improving asthma care and control for children and young people is a priority across NW London ICS. This years #AskAboutAsthma campaign is focusing on helping children and young people with asthma to live their best lives. 

Asthma should not limit children and young people’s lives in any way and good asthma control means having no symptoms.

Children and young people with asthma should be supported to manage their condition in all areas of their lives; at home, school/college, and in the community.

The following 4 asks can help children and young people to live their best lives. These are:

1. Get an asthma action plan in place

2. Understand how to use inhalers correctly

3. Schedule an asthma review – every year and after every attack

4. Consider air quality and its impact on lung health

GPs can support the campaign and proactively help patients by:

Developing your knowledge by attending events. Register for events here.

Talking to young patients and their parents about asthma and how they can manage it.

Sharing messaging about asthma triggers

Please display this poster in your waiting area.

Find out more things GPs and practice managers to support here. You can also find all of the campaign resources, including toolkit here.
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 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. From Monday 23rd September any device identified as connecting from outside the UK without approval will be disabled.

The NW London ICT Information Security Working from Abroad Procedure is available on the self-service portal via this link.

Alternatively  please contact the ICT Service Desk at nhsnwl.servicedesk@nhs.net ‘

NHS response to outbreak of Clade I Mpox in Eastern and Central Africa


Please see the attached letter. There is also a pathways actions cards here.

GP cancer bulletin


The bulletin contains information on the following items: cancer prevention; cancer screening; early diagnosis and symptom awareness; and the West London primary care education programme.

Click here to read the bulletin.

User guide on importing the SystmOne allowed list


See the user guide attached.

Education and training
ICHP Masterclass - Clinical and Ethical Approaches to Deprescribing and Mental Health Polypharmacy in Primary Care 

The Masterclass will take place on Wednesday 18 September 2024 with Dr Waseem Jerjes, GP Partner, Hammersmith and Fulham Partnership.

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 Wednesday the 18th of 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
ICHP Masterclass - Safe Prescribing in Frailty: Tackling Overuse & Anticholinergic Risks

The Masterclass takes place on Wednesday 9 October 2024 with Dr Graham Stretch, PCPA President, Partner Argyle GP, Lead Pharmacist Ealing Community Partners. 

Dr Graham Stretch and Imperial College Health Partners would like to invite you to attend our upcoming Safe Prescribing in Frailty: Tackling Overuse & Anticholinergic Risks webinar on Wednesday 9 October 2024 from 12pm to 2pm. In this session we will examine medicines overuse in patients living with frailty with particular reference to the dangers of anti-cholinergic medicines and cognitive impairment. We will use case-based discussions to highlight tools, resources and strategies to reduce risk of medication related harms and overprescribing in frailty  

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 

NICHP CVD Education Series – Lipid Management in Primary Care

On behalf of Dr Kuldhir Johal (NW London ICS Clinical Lead for Cardiovascular and Renal Disease (Interim), we would like to invite you to the upcoming CVD webinar on “Lipid Management in Primary Care” on Wednesday 25 September 1-2pm. 

In this session, you will explore updates on the latest NICE changes and NW London Lipid Guidelines ensuring alignment with current standards of care. We will review key elements of the QoF, enhanced service specifications, and Medicines Mangement and Optimisation focusing on how these frameworks impact lipid management. We will discuss next steps for CVD Champions, opportunities for involvement, and review referral pathways for lipid services to streamline care. 

You will have the opportunity to put your questions to the current NW London ICS Clinical Lead for Cardiovascular and Renal Disease, in a Q&A. 

Please click here to register for the session.  

Feel free to circulate to other colleagues who may be interested.  
 
For further information and/or to get involved with the ICHP CVD education series please contact  

chanelle.corena@imperialcollegehealthpartners.com or catherine.caldwell@imperialcollegehealthpartners.com