12 November 2025
Bulletin
Winter updates; Industrial action; Grenfell NHS Services; Medicines; and more.

Welcome to this week's primary care bulletin

Key points this week include:
  • Flu season guidance
  • industrial action
  • SNOMED procedure and product codes for the new Measles, Mumps, Rubella Varicella (MMRV) vaccines 
  • NHS 111 for emergency dental care
  • Grenfell NHS services — update
  • Hillingdon Hospitals GP liaison service now 
  • Medicines Safety Newsletter published
  • Cervical Screening Administration update published
  • Vaccination and Screening Leadership Bulletin.
Education and training:
  • celebrating Care Leavers Month
  • London region community of practice for Covid-19 and flu vaccinations session

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


Please note the deadline for submissions is 3pm each Monday.
Flu season guidance

The UK Health Security Agency and the Department of Health and Social Care have published an important briefing, to coincide with the early start of the flu season.
Industrial action

The resident doctors' strike takes place 7am on Friday 14 November until 7am on Wednesday 19 November.

Our website news story acts as an important guide to residents.
SNOMED procedure and product codes for the new Measles, Mumps, Rubella Varicella (MMRV) vaccines
 
Please see the published letter on the introduction of a routine varicella vaccination programme for children at one year and at 18 months, with a catch-up for children aged up to six years.

A document includes the SNOMED procedure and product codes that will need to be used for recording MMRV vaccines, which are due to be administered as part of the routine childhood schedule from 1 January 2026. Both procedure and product codes should be recorded when an MMRV vaccine is given.
NHS 111 for emergency dental care

NHS England and NHS North West London will be promoting the use of the service for emergency dental care over the coming weeks.

Please display the poster in your practice so patients understand the service can be used for access to dental care.
Grenfell NHS services — update

This week NHS North West London has written directly to survivors and bereaved families, and to the wider North Kensington community and our partners, to share an update on NHS Grenfell services as the Tower is carefully taken down.

The NHS has confirmed its commitment to keeping support steady, sharing clear health information, and inviting the community to help shape what comes next. Dedicated services continue for survivors and those who lost loved ones in the tragedy, and Enhanced Health Checks are in place through GP practices.

Please can we take the opportunity to thank all GP practices, GPs and staff in North Kensington and beyond for their ongoing support providing care for survivors and bereaved families and the wider Grenfell affected community.
Hillingdon Hospitals GP liaison service now open 

The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust GP liaison service is open as an informal route to raise an enquiry or concern about their service. This includes services at Hillingdon Hospital and Mount Vernon Hospital which are run by the Trust. It is a non-urgent service.

When contacting the service, please include the following information:
  • patient’s details (name, date of birth and NHS number)
  • department the enquiry relates to
  • hospital the enquiry relates to.
They will not be able to investigate your enquiry without the above information. They endeavour to respond within 10 working days from the date the above information is provided.

The Trust encourages GPs to use the national Learn from patient safety events (LFPSE) service. Please do not send patient safety alerts to the GP liaison service.

You can contact the GP liaison service by email. This mailbox is open Monday to Friday, 8.30am - 4.30pm, except bank holidays. 

The GP liaison service is only open to NHS colleagues and other healthcare professionals. Please do not share these contact details with your patients.
Medicines Safety Newsletter published

NHS England London have published the Autumn newsletter.

It highlights MedSafetyWeek, Medicines Safety Improvement Programme priorities, psychotropic prescribing workstream, alongside other topics.
Cervical Screening Administration update published

The October 2025 edition has been published (PDF). 

The newsletter includes update on invittation and reminder statistics, alongside information about submitted the correct cease forms, amongst other areas.
Vaccination and Screening Leadership Bulletin

This bulletin (PDF) is also available to download.

The content includes:
  • eLearning For Healthcare training update 
  • new British Sign Language (BSL) signed content on GOV.UK NHS Breast and NHS Cervical Screening Programmes 
  • Screening Workforce forum update.

Education and training
Celebrating Care Leavers Month

As we continue to remain committed to supporting those with lived experience of care, the The North West London Health and Social Care Skills Academy are delighted to have partnered with Dynamic Training to deliver three webinars during Care Leaver’s Month this November. These sessions aim to explore how health and care providers can support care experienced people into employment.

Webinar 1: Introduction, Myth-Busting, and Wider Care Leaver Issues - Thursday 13 November 2025, 11am - 12pm

Webinar 2: Trauma-Informed Training For Employers Working With Care -  Friday 21 November 2025, 11.30am - 12.30pm

Webinar 3: Practical Strategies For Maximising Care Leaver Success - Thursday 27 November 2025, 11am - 12pm

Further details and booking information is on the information poster.
London region community of practice for Covid-19 and flu vaccinations session

A reminder that the next London region community of practice for Covid-19 and flu vaccinations session is coming up on Thursday 13 November 2025, 12.30 - 1.30pm.

You can register for the Teams session on the Teams events page.