11 February 2026
Bulletin
NHS App resources; Vaccination updates; Reasonable adjustment flag; Education and training; and more

Welcome to this week's primary care bulletin

Key points this week include:
  • NHS App campaign: Resources for practices
  • Oesophageal Cancer Awareness Month
  • new information standard for the reasonable adjustment digital flag
  • update on outbreak of Burkholderia stabilis ST480 linked to non-sterile alcohol-free skin cleansing wipe products
  • role of Healthcare Support Workers (HCSWs) in vaccination programmes
  • UKHSA clinical advice regarding those that refuse MMRV, but who want MMR
  • MMR and MMRV Vaccination Programme 2026-2027 - service now available to accept in CQRS
  • RSV vaccination for older adults: expansion of eligibility
  • call to strengthen recruitment governance and professional standards in primary care
  • Cervical Screening Administration Service Update January 2026
  • Living Well: Advanced Kidney Care and Wellbeing Patient Conference (2026).
Education and training:
  • Primary Care Systems Training Team schedule for February - May 2026
  • transgender healthcare training sessions for clinical and non-clinical staff
  • Pan-London MedSIP webinar: Reviewing antipsychotics in people with a learning disability
  • call for participants: North London Focus Group on Reducing Harm from Psychotropics
  • Screening Workforce Forum: design and management of learning resources.
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.
NHS App campaign: Resources for practices

NHS England has launched the next phase of the NHS App national campaign, to increase awareness of NHS App features and encourage greater use among patients.

Practices can access a full range of campaign materials, including social media assets, digital display images and posters.

The NHS App Campaign Resource Centre features materials and more details about the campaign.

We encourage practices to review the available resources and use them to support local promotion of the NHS App.
Oesophageal Cancer Awareness Month

In February 2026, RM Partners North West and South West London Cancer Alliance, in partnership with Heartburn Cancer UK (HCUK), are supporting a pan-London oesophageal cancer campaign as part of Oesophageal Cancer Awareness Month.

The campaign ‘Whatever you call it’ is focusing on people over the age of 45, and those from lower socio-economic groups, as they are more likely to experience a late-stage cancer diagnosis.  The aim is to raise public awareness that persistent heartburn or indigestion could be possible symptoms of oesophageal cancer and to contact their GP practice early with any concerns.

We are encouraging practices to maximise activity by:
  • sharing the primary care campaign toolkit which includes key messages with practice staff (attached)
  • downloading and displaying the resources available via the campaign website. They can be found in the Support the Campaign section (social media and assets)
  • actively promoting awareness during relevant consultations.
A4 Posters can be ordered for print online (English only). 

Your support this month will help ensure more people recognise symptoms early and seek timely advice.

Contact the Early Diagnosis Team at RM Partners for more information.
New information standard for the reasonable adjustment digital flag

A new information standard for the reasonable adjustment digital flag, published in December, requires all NHS, health and social care providers that are publicly-funded to be able to read, write and share reasonable adjustments via the National Care Records Service by 30 September 2026. Full details of actions which providers must take are detailed in the attached document (PDF), its accompanying implementation guidance and a summary checklist.
Update on outbreak of Burkholderia stabilis ST480 linked to non-sterile alcohol-free skin cleansing wipe products

This is an update to Briefing Note 2025/033 (issued 4 August 2025) on the continuing outbreak of Burkholderia stabilis ST480 linked to non-sterile alcohol-free wipes.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) previously issued a National Patient Safety Alert (NatPSA, 26 June 2025) and a joint press release with MHRA (4 August 2025).

Key updates:
  • UKHSA have issued an urgent public health message and an updated press release on 5 February 2026
  • seven additional cases have been identified with a specimen date after the issue of the NatPSA and the prior press release. These have included some clinically significant and severe infections and one attributable death
  • the total number of cases in the UK linked to this outbreak is now 62 (59 confirmed).
Read the full briefing note (PDF).
Role of Healthcare Support Workers in vaccination programmes

Healthcare Support Workers (HCSWs) can play an important role in increasing capacity for vaccine administration. However, vaccine administration by HCSWs must be undertaken only within defined boundaries of competence, under appropriate supervision of a Registered Healthcare Professional, where a suitable legal mechanism is in place. The HCSW operational guidelines (PDF) defines the areas all employers and HCSWs should be following to ensure safe practice.
UKHSA clinical advice regarding those that refuse MMRV, but who want MMR

A UKHSA letter has been published that provides information on clinical advice for parents who refuse the MMRV vaccine but still wish to take up offer of MMR.

The advice from UKHSA and clinical colleagues here at ICB is that proportionate use of clinical discretion should be used and in cases where parents still refuse MMRV following reassurance and explanation by the clinician then the practice may take a flexible approach and offer MMR under a PSD.

The rationale for this approach is to ensure that the child is offered some protection against diseases such as measles rather than no vaccination given and in turn is likely to support higher overall childhood immunisation uptake.

UKHSA have confirmed that where MMR is offered, centrally procured stock of MMR vaccine can be used.

Please contact the NHS North West London Immunisations Team with any enquiries. 
RSV vaccination for older adults: expansion of eligibility

The government accepted the advice from JCVI to expand the older adult RSV vaccination programme to all those aged 80 years and over and to include all residents of care homes for older adults from 1 April 2026

NHS England and UKHSA have published a letter outlining the upcoming changes for those responsible for commissioning and operationally delivering the programme. 

We encourage you to share this guidance with all those involved in delivering the RSV older adult programme in your area.

Please contact the London Immunisations Team with any enquiries.
MMR and MMRV Vaccination Programme 2026-2027 - service now available to accept in Calculating Quality Reporting Service

The service has now been offered out to GP Practices for participation in Calculating Quality Reporting Service (CQRS).

Please ensure the above-stated service is accepted to support data extraction when the scheduled extraction window opens.

Information and guidance documents for the above stated service can be found on the NHS CSU Collaborative website.

Information on how to offer out a service can also be found on the website.

Please contact the London Immunisations Team with any queries.
Cervical Screening Administration Service Update January 2026

The Cervical Screening Administration Service newsletter (PDF) includes an article on the increase in ceasing errors occurring via the CSMS Prior Notification List (PNL)/Non-Responder electronic submissions. Please can GP practice colleagues ensure they validate their cease submissions to reduce the risk of errors, which could result in patients being permanently removed from the Cervical Screening Programme inappropriately. Further information can be found on the UK Government website.
Call to strengthen recruitment governance and professional standards in primary care

As part of our ongoing commitment to delivering safe, high-quality care in general practice, recent reviews have uncovered serious challenges in workforce governance and recruitment that require urgent, coordinated regional action.

The NHS England Primary Care Nursing Clinical Reference Group, in collaboration with London Integrated Care Boards, received a presentation highlighting a series of themed incidents reported through a local training hub. Further incidents were also identified during primary care site visits, suggesting that the concerns extend beyond the initial reporting setting.

The issues raised include serious concerns around recruitment practices, such as the lack of essential pre-employment checks — including verification of professional registration (e.g. GMC/NMC), Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, identity verification, references, and immunisation records. Additionally, instances were noted where formal employment contracts were not in place.

All reported incidents are being managed in accordance with the approved Primary Care Quality Incident Management Framework, ensuring that harm reviews are carried out where appropriate to assess actual or potential impact on patients and staff. The issues are being addressed through formal contractual mechanisms to ensure provider accountability.

Read the letter (PDF) from Temi Magbagbeola, Director of Nursing Primary Care, and Javina Sehgal, Director of Primary Care, for further information.
Living Well: Advanced Kidney Care and Wellbeing Patient Conference (2026)

The conference has been organised for patients living with chronic kidney diseaseand their families, carers, friends, and potential living kidney donors

It takes place on Wednesday 4 March 2026, 9am - 5pm at Oak Room, W12 Conferences, Hammersmith Hospital Campus.

Find out booking details and further details about the conference in a document (PDF). Please signpost this event to the appropriate patients.

Education and training
Primary Care Systems Training Team Schedule for February - May 2026
 
The Primary Care Systems Training Team offers a wide range of courses through the North West London Learning Hub. Explore the primary care systems training schedule for details on upcoming sessions. 
Transgender healthcare training sessions for clinical and non-clinical staff

Dr Joanna Lovett will be hosting transgender healthcare training sessions for clinical and non-clinical staff. This training will help to improve primary care colleague's knowledge and understanding of gender dysphoria, transgender and non-binary healthcare. The sessions are split into two 90 minute sessions (both sessions are mandatory).

Find further information and book using the relevant link below:

transgender healthcare for clinical staff (sessions in April and June)
transgender healthcare for non-clinical staff (sessions in March, May and July).
Pan-London MedSIP webinar: Reviewing antipsychotics in people with a learning disability
 
Imperial College Health Partners (ICHP) is pleased to invite you to our pan-London education session, led by Learning Disability Community Lead Pharmacist, Shiva Fouladi-Nashta, East London NHS Foundation Trust. This event, organised by the London Health Innovation Networks and partners, will explore practical strategies to optimise medicines and reduce harm in this population.

What you’ll learn:
  • how to identify and address inappropriate psychotropic prescribing
  • tools for assessing behaviours and monitoring side effects
  • steps for safe deprescribing and holistic medication reviews.
This session is open to primary care clinicians, and anyone interested in improving medicines safety in people with a learning disability. 

Register for the session on the Team's event page.

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

For further information and/or to get involved with the ICHP PSC Reducing harm from psychotropics used for behaviour that challenges in people with a learning disability​ programme please email Catherine Caldwell.
Call for participants: North West London Focus Group on Reducing Harm from Psychotropics

Imperial College Health Partners, as part of the NHS England Patient Safety Collaborative programme, is convening a virtual focus group to support work on reducing harm from psychotropic medicines used for behaviour that challenges in people with a learning disability.

We are seeking participants from across North West London, including colleagues from acute care providers, Community Interest Companies, mental health trusts, community trusts, GP practices, local authorities, Public Health, NHS England, NHS North West London, care home providers, voluntary community and social sector organisations, as well as private sector partners.

Our aims:
  • develop a shared system‑wide vision and ambition
  • build a cross‑sector network of ‘doers’
  • co‑create a draft whole‑system action plan.
Event details:

Wednesday 5 March 2026, 1pm – 2pm, via Teams

We recognise this session falls over the lunch hour. You are very welcome to join while eating, turn your camera off briefly, or step away momentarily as needed — whatever helps make participation easier.

How to express interest

To register your interest, please complete this short expression of interest form (no long statements required). We are simply looking to understand your role and how you engage with people with a learning disability who are prescribed psychotropic medicines for behaviour that challenges.

The deadline is 5pm on Monday 16 February 2026. Email Catherine Caldwell with any enquiries.

We would really value your insight and involvement — your contribution will help shape collective action across the north west London system.
Screening Workforce Forum: design and management of learning resources 

The NHS England Screening Workforce Forum meets monthly to facilitate screening programme managers’ sharing of workforce planning experience and best practice. At the 28 January session, we welcomed Paul Dimmock, Qualifications Manager and Assessor at Gloucestershire Research & Education Group (GREG), Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, to speak about the Design and Management of Learning Resources. 

Having grown from origins in diabetic retinopathy screening, GREG now provides multidisciplinary education support to a wide range of healthcare specialties. Expanding on their approach to learning resource design (including online courses, software applications, educational handbooks, videos, and website development), Paul demonstrated examples of interactive learning resources that support screening, emphasising the key role of collaboration, including with NHS organisations and universities, in their design and development. Guidance for teams creating their own learning resources was complimented by a discussion on the resource management of content on e-platforms, including NHS Learning Hub and Futures. A recording of the forum and presentation is available on NHS Futures at the Screening Workforce pages link.  

At our February Forum on Wednesday 25 February 2026 we will hear from Amanda Grange, Senior QA Advisor, North of England (DES and AAA), about the Screening Incident Assessment Process and its place in supporting services with managing screening incidents to inform programme improvement.

The Screening Workforce Forum takes place on the fourth Wednesday of each month,11.30am - 12.20pm. If you would like to join us or have a presentation to share then please email the relevant team.