Welcome to this week's primary care bulletin

Key points this week include:

• RM Partners Cancer GP Bulletin
• Fraud alert
• NHS App centrally funded SMS campaign for north west London
• UK Health Security Agency alert: Case of Lassa fever with travel to UK
• Supporting residents in work
• Care experienced peer network
• Improving planned care and reducing NHS waiting times in north west London: your views.

Webinars and training, including:

• Celebrate World Kidney Day with us
• Thinking differently: Doing more with less
• North West London Training Hub newsletter
• Reducing inequalities webinars
• Joint injection course
• Chronic pain in primary care and opioid harm reduction programme MDT webinar for Brent, Harrow and Hammersmith & Fulham patients
• More than medicine: What healthcare professionals can learn about trust and connection from hairdressers
• Rethinking pain management: A practical guide to opioids in chronic non-cancer pain.

If you have any submissions for this bulletin please email them to the communications inbox - nhsnwl.communications.nwl@nhs.net. View previous editions.

RM Partners Cancer GP Bulletin

The latest Cancer GP Bulletin and RM Partners strategy have been published. You can find a breakdown of the bulletin and access key attachments below.

Maximising early cancer diagnosis

1. Important: Removal of outdated two week wait referral forms – all GPs/practice managers
2. Important: Notification of change in referral criteria for suspected gynaecological cancers – all GPs. Gynaecology top tips for referral
3. Training: C the Signs – training and user guides to help you get the most out of the tool - all practice staff
4. Reminder: Using the Non-Site-Specific Rapid Diagnostic Centres (RDCs) – all GPs

Cancer screening

5. Breast screening awareness campaign running until 31 March 2025 -  all practice staff
6. Reminder: Using the WSIC data dashboard for Cervical and Bowel Screening – all practice staff

Role opportunities at RM Partners

7. Clinical leadership roles for 2025/26 – deadline Friday 14 March 2025, 5pm – all clinicians. Attachments one and two. 

Fraud alert

Our counter fraud provider has alerted us to fraudulent payment requests targeting GP practices. Fraudsters are using the Sage invoicing platform to send false invoice for consumables to make them appear more genuine. GP practices should review any requests received via Sage in the same way as any other invoice, and only authorise and pay those where it is confirmed that goods/services were requested and received.

NHS App centrally funded SMS campaign for north west London

The NHS App allows patients to submit online consultations, book appointments, order repeat prescriptions and get advice; without contacting their GP practice. It also allows GP practice the functionality of sending messages directly to patients without having to pay for the SMS cost, once their NHS App notifications are switched on.

We are asking all NHS North West London practices to send the following SMS messages to all patients over 13 years of age:

"The NHS App lets you book appointments, online consultations, access your record, view results & request medications. Don't forget to keep your notifications switched on! This helps us to message you in a secure way https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-app/"

This SMS message has been funded by NHS North West London and will not affect the usage of your SMS practice allocation. Please send these by Friday 28 March 2025 to ensure the central funding allocation covers the costs.
 
We are asking all NHS North West London GP practices to send the following email out to patients via the patients email address:

“Our gift to you is the NHS App! You can book appointments, submit online consultations, access your record, view results and request medications including regular prescriptions. Don’t forget to keep notifications switched on! This helps us to message you in a more secure way: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-app/”

Please contact the Digital Transformation and Delivery team if you have any questions, email Digital First.

Supporting residents in work

WorkWell is successfully reaching residents in West London's CORE20 areas, with 17 out of 50 current participants coming from Golborne and Notting Dale wards - two of the most deprived areas in the country.

WorkWell is a free service for people in north west London who are in a job or looking for one but need support with health-related challenges. We’re here to offer early help and support. We’ll work with you to understand any health-related issues that might be in your way and create a plan that fits your needs. We also connect with local services to make sure you get the right help. Together, we’ll work to overcome any barriers so you can find or keep a job that’s right for you.

Find out more about key successes and how to refer to the service.

Care experienced peer network for NHS and primary care colleagues

This network supports care-experienced NHS staff of all ages.

Peer support plays a vital role in boosting well-being and connecting with others who have similar experiences can help build self-esteem, confidence, and lasting friendships.

This peer support group connects NHS staff with care experience to celebrate achievements and foster support. Allies, including non-care-experienced colleagues who wish to support care leavers, are also welcome. It's important that past experiences won’t affect your future within the NHS.
 
Sign up to be part of this network, or if you have any questions, please email england.careexperiencedstaff@nhs.net.Only workspace managers can see member names and details unless you choose to participate in the discussion forum.

Improving planned care and reducing NHS waiting times in North West London: your views 

This spring, NHS North West London is engaging with residents, health and care professionals, community groups and stakeholders to develop a new strategy for planned care. Planned care refers to a non-emergency health care, such as hospital outpatient appointments or planned surgery. The strategy does not cover mental health.  

To help improve waiting times, fair access and patient experience, we need to consider the changing needs of people in north west London, the increasing number of people who are seeking care, and how we tackle the unfair differences in waiting times and care experiences for people from different communities.  

The views we capture during this engagement will help shape the strategy and inform positive improvements for staff and patients.  

We have published an issues papers for residents which sets out our aims and the challenges. To read this paper and find out how to get involved, please visit
www.nwlondonicb.nhs.uk/plannedcare. We have also published a more detailed briefing on this for professionals. We would be grateful if you could share this information with stakeholders, resident groups and colleagues so we capture a wide range of views