Guidance
LMC Update June 2019
LMC Update June 2019 Over the last couple of weeks, I have spent a considerable amount of time in meetings supporting emerging Primary Care Networks (PCNs), discussing the challenges we face locally with the Chief Executives of our local hospitals, Community providers and with the Chief...
084 Telephone Numbers
Practices may use 084 numbers to help provide a good service to their patients, provided that the cost to their patients is guaranteed to be no more than a standard local call. If your practice uses an 084 number you must demonstrate to the Area Team that these calls are guaranteed not to cost...
24 Hour Retirement for GPs
Introduction In 2006 the NHS Pensions Agency reviewed the then current Regulations and clarified the arrangements that enable General Practitioners to take 24 hour retirement in order to trigger their pension benefits. This opportunity exists for GPs whether salaried or in partnership, but has...
Accepting a Police Caution
Accepting a Police Caution (or being convicted of an offence in any country) requires you to let the GMC and NHS England know. ALWAYS take legal advice before doing this. We would like to remind you of a paragraph of the GMC's document 'Good Medical Practice', paragraph 75 which states: You...
Advanced Decisions & Advance Care Planning
Doctors are bound by professional and legal obligations in end of life decisions. They may wish to be actively involved in discussing these issues and helping patients to draw up an Advance Directive or an Advance Care Plan. They may wish to witness the resultant documentation, but they are...
Age Discrimination & How To Prevent It
Payne, Marsh and Stilwell, solicitors in Southampton, have offered the Wessex LMCs and its constituents some generic Employment Law advice to be made available on this website. 'It's Your Age!' Prevent Discrimination: Action Checklist Set up a planned retirement system which complies with the...
Alternative Provider Medical Services (APMS)
Alternative Provider Medical Services (APMS) Contracts allow NHS England to commission primary care services. This includes essential and additional services from a wide range of providers, e.g. private health companies and social enterprises. Useful Guidance Links: GPC BMA - Alternative...
Antibiotic Prescribing in the Community
Guidelines for Antibiotic Prescribing in the Community These guidelines are intended to provide advice on the effective and safe treatment of infections commonly presenting in primary care (doses are for adults unless otherwise stated) in mainly Wessex, but also Surrey Heath, Berkshire East and...
Aortic Aneurysm Screening
The following information is for guidance for GP Practices. Please do not contact the LMC concerning the screening programme as this is handled directly by the NHS. The NHS Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Screening Programme was introduced gradually across England from March 2009. The...
APHO - Practice Profiles
These profiles are designed to support GPs, PCNs, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and local authorities to ensure that they are providing and commissioning effective and appropriate healthcare services for their local population. In addition to viewing individual practice profiles, you can...
Avoiding Employing Illegal Workers
When employing new members of staff you need to ensure they are legally entitled to work within the UK, therefore practices need to undertake the relevant checks to ascertain this. If a member of staff is negligently employed by a practice, you can face significant fines and/or a prison...
Blue Badge Scheme
The Blue Badge Scheme enables people with a disability to park in disabled parking spaces. It is for people with a severe mobility problem. It also applies to those who are registered blind, who have severe disabilities in their upper limbs, and children under 3 years with specific medical...
BMA Template Letters for Breaches to Standard Hospital Contract in England
13 September 2016: GPC has today launched template letters for GP practices to push back on instances where hospitals breach new requirements in the standard contract. To recap, following lobbying by GPC, NHS England have added the following requirements to the hospital standard contract as of...
Bowel Cancer
The National Bowel Screening Programme generates 3,000,000 results per year. It is possible for most practices to arrange to receive the results electronically. This article explains how. We get numerous queries about patients who do not return their bowel screening letters. How you deal with...
British Pharmaceutical Industry's Code of Practice
The pharmaceutical industry effectively self regulates and operates to the highest ethical standards as laid out in The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry's Code of Practice for the Pharmaceutical Industry (the Code). The ABPI Code covers the promotion of medicines for...
Business Continuity Plans
NHS bodies are required to have Business Continuity Plans to cover contingencies such as flood, fire, national disaster, flu pandemics etc. The LMC strongly recommends (whether or not you are an NHS body) that you should have a plan and we have created the following template that you may wish...
Business Planning and Processes / Transfer of Secondary Care Work
Quality First Click here to download the BMA's guidance outlining ways in which you can: manage inappropriate workload collaborate with others develop new ways of working The Interface between Primary and Secondary Care: This briefing document describes the key national requirements which...
Caldicott
The December 1997 Caldicott Report identified weaknesses in the way parts of NHS handled confidential patient data. The report made sixteen recommendations, one of which was the appointment of Caldicott guardians, members of staff with a responsibility to ensure patient data is kept secure. It...
Car Parks
A surgery was sued several years ago, when a patient slipped and injured themselves in the car park, which was slippery following a cold spell causing ice to form. As a result the BMA was asked for a legal opinion on what to do when weather is bad to minimise the practice's risk to...
CCG Constitutions
The relationship between Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and practice should be characterised by genuine clinical engagement and collaboration. The CCG should not be seen to regulate or penalise practices and practices need to feel empowered to hold their CCG to account for the decisions made...
Certification - Bus Pass
In England, individuals can apply for a bus pass for free travel when they reach the female state pension age, whether they are male or female. The 'eligible disabled' (as described in the list below) may also apply for a pass, and patients may attend with forms for the doctor to sign to prove...
Certification - Chargeable
In 2001 the Government recognised that GPs were spending too much time doing unnecessary paperwork. After much consideration it produced a consultation document called Making A Difference: Reducing General Practitioner Paperwork However, GPs still receive many requests for reports from...
Certification - Child Performers
Most children taking part in non-commercial performances do not require a licence to perform and, even if a licence is required for commercial work, the Local Education Authority may have discretion as to whether a medical certificate is required. In this instance, a child is considered to...
Certification - Continuing Healthcare
NHS continuing healthcare (CHC) is a package of care provided outside of hospital. It is arranged and funded by Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) for people aged 18 years and over who have significant ongoing healthcare needs and have been assessed as having a 'primary health need'. People...
Certification - Deaths
The LMC receives many queries on the subject of death certification, cremation and Coronial regulations. The Covid-19 pandemic and associated emergency legislation have added a further level of confusion. We have summarised guidance relating to Death Certification and Cremation during the...
Certification - Dentists
Dentists sometimes discover that their patient suffers from a medical condition which may influence the treatment they are proposing to give. In this event they would generally require medical advice from the GP in order to treat the patient safely. It is not generally necessary for the GP to...
Certification - Jury Service
Medical certificates are not normally required when someone feels they have grounds to be excused from Jury Service. However, the summoning officer will occasionally request one, and we would recommend that you produce a letter stating only the facts for the summoning officer to consider and...
Certification - Low Calorie Diets
Patients often approach GPs with forms to fill out before they can embark on some low calorie diets. You may find this information useful: You do not have to fill out these forms You can charge a reasonable fee for filling out the form Much of the data, weight and BP is part of normal GMS...
Certification - Non Chargeable
The following is a list of obligations relating to Certification by GPs: GPs are obliged to provide data essential for a clinical referral free of charge. A GP has a statutory duty to supply a registered patient, free of charge, with any of the prescribed certificates set out in Schedule 4 of...
Certification - Notes for School Children
Schools Requesting Certificates for Children's Absences Schools are under pressure to reduce non-attendance and will make contact with parents/guardians if there is a concern that the missed schooling is not justified. The parents/guardians turning up and asking for a letter may be to avoid the...
Certification - Parachute Jumps
The profession is divided. Some GPs say 'don't touch them with a barge pole' and others do them and charge appropriately. Considerations: you are not obliged to provide this service if you feel competent to sign these forms you may and you may charge (even if 'it's for charity' ) a small study...
Certification - Patients Claiming Benefits
Practices are not obliged, either by statute or contract, to complete reports requested by organizations assisting people with their claims for benefit. Practices may choose to do so and may charge a fee. Welfare Rights and CAB usually say that they are not in a position to pay a fee. If a...
Certification - SCUBA
What should you do if a patient wants you to confirm their suitability to do SCUBA diving? This is not part of GMS so you do not have to provide this service to your patients. You may do so if you feel competent to make this assessment. If you do this work you must consider how you resource...
Certification - Shared Lives
Shared Lives is a national idea rolled out to Local Authorities to encourage citizens to help share the lives of vulnerable adults. It is an excellent scheme that encourages people within communities to help vulnerable adults and get paid, while saving the state significant sums of...
Certification - Sickness
Sickness of Less Than 7 days You are not obliged to provide a 'sick certificate' for your patients for periods of less than seven days. In these circumstances patients should self certify as below. We have produced a letter for your patient to take to his/her employer to explain this....
Cervical Cytology - Keeping in date
Cervical Screening Campaign The NHS Cervical Screening Programme has made a significant impact on cervical cancer mortality since it was established in 1988, saving an estimated 5,000 lives a year. However, coverage is at a 20-year low. To help address this issue, on 5 March 2019 PHE will...
Cervical Smears in the time of COVID-19
This guidance was written during the time of the Covid-19 crisis and based on an original protocol from The Orchard Partnership in Wiltshire. Practices can adapt this to their own requirements based on local guidance. For expert advice on infection control (IC) you are recommended to speak to...
Chaperones
The GMC has guidance at: https://www.gmc-uk.org/ethical-guidance/ethical-guidance-for-doctors/intimate-examinations-and-chaperones/intimate-examinations-and-chaperones Wherever possible, you should offer the patient the security of having an impartial observer (a 'chaperone') present during an...
Clinical Commissioning Group Outcomes Indicator Set (CCG OIS)
We have had a number of queries asking us about the service 'CCG OIS' on CQRS. This acronym stands for Clinical Commissioning Group Outcomes Indicator Set. Please see the following for further details: http://www.hscic.gov.uk/ccgois Please note that practices are requested to accept this...
Coil Fitting
FSRH Letters of Competence and Diplomas are not a requirement for coil fitting. There was a debate in 2014 after the FSRH sent out a letter stating that they were. CQC were also felt to have stated the same but this has been clarified that an LoC is an example of how training and competence...
Community Pharmacy - A Guide for GPs
This is an excellent summary of how Community Pharmacies work, the funding streams and contracting arrangements and the requirements for being a community pharmacist (training, qualification, control and regulation) written by PSNC, NHS employers and the BMA. The document, together with further...
Complaints
When people have a complaint about an NHS service, they can complain to the provider of that service or the Commissioner. Complaints Made Direct to NHS England A complainant may wish to make their complaint direct to NHS England and more details of how to do so can be found here . If the...
Confidentiality
Medical confidentiality is at the bedrock of the Doctor-Patient relationship and it is enshrined in a number of codes, guidelines and laws. The GMC has produced updated Guidance on Confidentiality with individual leaflets covering how care guidance applies in a range of situations doctors often...
Confidentiality - Recycling
Introduction We have recently been asked for advice on the data protection implications of using a commercial company for recycling confidential waste paper. The company undertakes to bag up all paper securely, before taking it to their central recycling plant where all employees have been...
Confidentiality after Death
Access to the Health Records of Deceased Patients Note: Although the GDPR does not apply to data concerning deceased persons, the ethical obligation to respect a patient's confidentiality continues beyond death. The Access to Health Records Act 1990 (AHRA) provides a small group of people with...
Consent
The Guidance document produced by the GMC Consent: Patients and Doctors making decisions together, expands on Good medical practice, which says doctors need to be satisfied that they have consent from a patient, or other valid authority, before: undertaking any examination or...
Costing a Service
Many practices are beginning to question whether it is financially viable to provide some of the services they are being asked to provide (those locally commissioned services which are non-contractual). The following template may be useful in deciding whether to sign up to provide a new or...
Covid-19 NHS Volunteers
There has been a fantastic response to the call for volunteers to assist the NHS in anyway possible. If you know anyone who would like to assist and get involved, please direct them to the Good Sam App so that they may go via the correct channels as some roles may require a DBS check. Healthcare...
Covid-19 - NHSE Second Phase - Update to GP Contract 9th July
NHSE published an update to the GP Contract on 9th July to inform practices on the second phase of re-starting services, that may have been suspended due to Covid-19. It is a comprehensive document and as such we have produced a summary that gives an overview on each area of the update and the...
Covid-19 - Advice from Professional and Patient Societies
There is both professional and patient guidance via the links below for the various conditions. Asthma UK Nice COVID-19 rapid guideline: severe asthma Primary Care Respiratory Society pragmatic guidance for crisis management of asthma and COPD British Lung Foundation Breast Cancer...
Covid-19 - Face Mask Exemption Letters
Face Masks on Public Transport & in Shops From 15th June for public transport and from the 24th July for shops, it is a requirement that people wear face masks or covering. Practices are reporting increases in requests from patients for letters of exemption. The government guidance on...
Covid-19 - NICE Clinical Guidance
NICE now have a dedicated page for Covid-19 Clinical Guidance. It includes rapid guidelines and rapid evidence summaries. There is also a link to register for e-mail updates. MHRA have issued advice on Ibuprofen and Covid-19. This advice and guidance can be read on the Gov.uk website.
Covid-19 - Operational Guidance for Restoration & Recovery
As the current Covid-19 peak has passed and General Practice is looking to restore services to a new 'normal', we have created a document to cover topics for consideration in this process. We do need to be clear that in this current ever changing landscape, we will keep it as up to date as we...
Covid-19 - PPE and Infection Control
The Supply Chain This remains one of the highest priorities in terms of ensuring practices have an adequate supply and also the ongoing question about the level of PPE you require in general practice. NHSE have now set up a webpage to deal with the supply of PPE with information for primary...
Covid-19 - Practice Privacy Notices
In light of the COVID-19 situation LMC Law has sent us the following information, set out below, that practices may wish to use in terms of updating their Privacy Notices. Following the latest Notice issued by the Department of Health & Social Care, under Regulation 3(4) of The Health Service...
Covid-19 - Remote Consultations and IT
Microsoft 365 An agreement has been struck between NHSX, NHS Digital and Microsoft to enable all eligible organisations in England to access Microsoft 365 digital tools. It secures access to a variety of Microsoft applications, building on an agreement first announced in April 2018 that...
Covid-19 - Returning Doctors/Nurses/AHPs and Volunteers (including DBS)
Doctors/Nurses/AHPs - Wherever you can help, you're needed There has been a fantastic response to the government's request for doctors and other health professionals that had left the profession to return and assist with the Covid-19 crisis. Any Locum GPs or active GPs who currently have...
Covid-19 - Staff Risk Assessments
Risk Assessment Frameworks for Staff in General Practice during Covid-19 Covid-19 has presented a significant challenge in assessing and mitigating risks to all staff in healthcare settings. The early data from Italy indicated a high rate of infection and death amongst healthcare workers and...
Covid-19 - Staffing, Reimbursements and other employment terms
Finances Reimbursement costs NHSE have released the details of the Covid-19 Fund for general practice. The letter contains the dates and mechanisms for claiming reimbursements during covid-19 Payroll Queries Acas has dedicated Covid-19 information pages for Employers (and Employees, this...
Covid-19 - Testing
Testing If you're an essential worker, you can apply for priority testing through GOV.UK by following the guidance on testing for essential workers . You can also get tested through this route if you have symptoms of coronavirus and live with an essential worker. For anyone else who has any of...
Covid-19 - Useful Links and Resources (inc Primary Care Bulletins)
Primary Care Bulletins Bulletins are regularly sent out from NHSE covering Covid-19 issues and updates. You can sign up to have these sent direct to your inbox. Previous issues can be found on NHSE website at:-...
Covid-19 - Vulnerable Highest Risk Patients (Shielding)
People in the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable Group (CEV) who have been Shielding Whilst the guidance for the clinically extremely vulnerable is such that shielding has been paused, the government are maintaining a webpage for this group. NHSE advised that they will continue to maintain the...
Covid-19 Covid Fund
NHSE have published details on the Covid-19 support fund for general practice (4th August 2020). This document lays out what can currently be claim for and the mechanism for doing so. We have put together a table (as below) to summarise the document and this sets out the various claims and...
Covid-19 Fit Notes (MED3)
During this time of national emergency there has been a significant increase in requests for GPs to issue Fit Notes. The Government have put in place some measures which should help reduce the workload for GPs, particularly in relation to requests relating to Covid-19. GPs also continue to...
Covid-19 Fitness to Fly & Covid Certificates
Fitness to Fly Fitness to fly certificates are not part of GMS contractual work and so GPs are under no obligation to issue them. If you do decide to issue a certificate then you can charge a private fee. The BMA advises caution when considering undertaking this sort of work as there can be...
Covid-19 ICO Data Protection
GUIDANCE FROM THE INFORMATION COMMISSIONERS OFFICE (ICO) The ICO has updated and supplemented its advice regarding the protection of data during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a useful recap on the processes health organisations should be following to ensure they are compliant with their data...
Covid-19 Notifiable Disease Information & find your local Health Protection Agency
A Notifiable Disease Covid-19 is now classified as a notifiable disease. This is for all confirmed and suspected cases. The SOP for General Practice during Covid-19 also states that additionally, the local PHE Health Protection team should be informed of patients with symptoms of COVID-19 in...
Covid-19 Practical and Operational Issues
We are aware that there is a lot of information coming from a number of directions. With this in mind we are creating webpages for various issues that we have been asked about. Workforce Covid-19 - BMA Model Contract for Locum GP for temporary use Covid-19 - Face Mask...
Covid-19 Templates, Risk Assessments (inc BAME)
We shall develop this page as time goes by as an evolving resource. If you also have a template that you would like to share with others, please do let us know about it and we will upload here. Guidance note to parents of children returning to school - This template can be used by practices if...
Covid-19- BMA Model Contract for Locum GPs
The BMA have published a model locum GP contract for temporary employment and use within localities. The BMA has assurances from NHSE that localities don't need to use the NHSE contract to claim central reimbursement hence launching their model contract. The model contract template and full...
CQC - Challenging the CQC
It is well known that practices are nervous of challenging CQC inspectors during the inspection visit and usually leave complaining until after the visit or even later, when the draft report is received. The CQC often then see the complaint as a reaction to something in the report rather than a...
CQC Interview Questions for "Registered Managers"
Requirements for Registered Managers Current requirements and guidance are can be found on the CQC's website . Schedule 1 outlines the documentation CQC will require for all Registered Managers: Role of the Registered Manager A summary of the role of the Registered Manager can be accessed...
CQC Mythbuster Updates
Prof Nigel Sparrow OBE is CQC's Senior National GP Advisor. He clears up some common myths about CQC inspections of GP and out-of-hours services and shares agreed guidance to best practice. Please click here for a link to the CQC page -...
Data Sharing - General Principles
General Principles Before sharing personal information you should ask yourself these relevant questions: What information do you wish to share? What is your purpose in sharing this information? Do you have consent to share? Can you achieve your purpose without sharing the information? Are you...
DBS: Risk Assessing Staff for a DBS Check
Risk Assessment Tool This tool aims to help you risk assess staff for DBS checking. It is of course for your Practice to make the final decision, based on the arrangements you currently have in place, but we have provided some scenario based guidance to assist you. In this case, the risk to...
DBS: Wessex LMC and Client Agreement
Please read these Terms & Conditions carefully. . . Introduction The Criminal Records Bureau (from 1st December 2012 working with the Independent Safeguarding Authority as the Disclosure and Barring Service) recommends that each Umbrella Body develops a written agreement between themselves and...
DBS: Transportable DBS Check (Update Service)
This is a guide to registering for a Transportable DBS Check Applicants/Individuals You can register online as soon as you have your application form reference number. This is the number (F0….. ) located at the top right hand side of your Application form. To subscribe using your...
Dental Problems
The BMA has published guidance to inform GPs of their obligations to patients either requesting emergency dental treatment or asking for an NHS prescription for drugs recommended by private or NHS dentists. It is aimed at all GP's including out of hours practitioners. The guidance can be...
Directed Enhanced Services
Enhanced Services are Nationally negotiated services, over and above those provided under usual contracts, which the Area Team / CCG is obliged to commission. Locally Commissioned Services (LCS) These are schemes designed to meet local needs They are optional for Practices to provide The CCG...
Drug Driving
A new offence of driving, attempting to drive, or being in charge of a vehicle, with certain specified controlled drugs in excess of specified limits has come into force. This offence is an addition to the existing rules on drug impaired driving and fitness to drive, and applies to two groups...
Duration of Prescriptions and 7 day Prescribing
This is a recurrent issue and something that we are contacted about at the office on a regular basis with GPs and practices asking whether or not there is any obligation to provide prescriptions for seven days of medication. The answer is no - but never say never. There will be times when a...
DVLA
DVLA - Consent for the Release of Relevant Medical Information You do not need to see the written consent of your patient to share relevant information with the DVLA, the consent will have been given and this is legally assured In August 2009, rules called Consent by Assurance were implemented...
Ebola - Additional information about Ebola Virus Disease
Additional information about Ebola Virus Disease Ebola is a Filovirus, first recognised in 1976. The virus is believed to be zoonotic or arboviral (dependent on animals or insect hosts for transmission). However, humans are not reservoirs of these viruses. There are 5 species of Ebola, 4 of...
Ebola - Managing Patients Who Require Assessment for Ebola Virus Disease (PHE Update: 17 October 2014)
Please find below a link to Public Health England's latest guidance for managing patients who require assessment for Ebola Virus Disease:- https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ebola-virus-disease-clinical-management-and-guidance NHS England has produced the following flyer for staff use...
Electronic Prescribing EPS and eRD inc. Remote consultations
Electronic Prescribing Service - EPS NHS Digital are continuing to drive Electronic Prescribing. Electronic Prescribing Service - Phase 4 was deployed from 18th November 2019, initially to TPP SystmOne following a pilot in 2018. The roll out plans for EMIS, Vision and Microtest will follow....
Employment Contract Clauses
Confidentiality & Data Protection All Employees must strictly adhere to the applicable GMC Guidance on patient confidentiality and the Practice Data Protection Act Policy. You must not use or disclose confidential information about the Practice’s patients or its business other than as expressly...
Employment Support Allowance (ESA)
Employment Support Allowance (ESA) 113 forms (replacing IB113) No fee is payable for an ESA113 and you are obliged to provide the information. For more information please see Healthcare professionals: information from DWP -...
Extended Hours DES
It has come to our attention that the SLA for the extended hours DES which has been sent to practices for signature includes a clause indicating that, in respect of appointments being offered by health care professionals other than GPs, 'a GP should however be onsite throughout the extended...
Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD)
Please see guidance below that has been taken from the Dispensing Doctors Association (DDA) website in relation to the implementation of the Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD): New FMD resources for dispensing & non dispensing practices have finally been published to support implementation of...
FGM Requirements for NHS Staff
Female genital mutilation (sometimes referred to as female circumcision) (FGM) refers to procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. The practice is illegal in the UK. It has been estimated that over 20,000 girls under the age of 15...
Finance
Statement of Financial Entitlement http://www.nhsemployers.org/your-workforce/primary-care-contacts/general-medical-services/gms-contract-changes Area teams Check your local contacts https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/regional-area-teams/ Check with what returns are due Check how the returns...
Find Your 1% (QUIP Agenda)
As part of the QUIP agenda - looking at end of life care and identifying the 1% of your patients who you believe are likely to die in the coming 12 months may help you improve care. Find your 1% website to find resources to help you with identifying and supporting your patients.
Flu 2020/21 - PPE
Flu Clinics and PPE In August 2020, PHE published COVID-19: Guidance for the remobilisation of services within health and care settings Infection prevention and control recommendations. We would recommend that practices familiarise themselves with this document for all aspects of patient care....
Flu 2020/21 CQC and alternative models of delivery
CQC have published details for providers who are thinking about and planning the ways in which they will deliver flu vaccinations for winter 2020/21. Models for delivery could look different to usual as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and have given examples of registration...
Flu 2020/21 NHSE & PHE Updates
NHS national flu immunisation programme guidance to manage locally held vaccine stock in primary care providers and NHS Trusts On 10th Sept 2020 NHSE & I published information about how the MHRA will allow transfer of flu stocks during this season's influenza programme as follows: - The flu...
Flu 2020/21 Staff Training
PHE have issued Guidance on flu immunisation training to support healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. (They have also issued Immunisation training guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic). There are some useful and important resources on these links and in particular a table...
Flu 2020/21 The Flu Calculator and Overview Guidance
As we know, this year the flu delivery is going to have the added challenges of Covid-19. With this in mind we have produced documents to aid and assist practices with suggestions on looking at the operational aspects of delivering the seasonal flu vaccination programme for 2020/21. This...
Free Choice
'Free Choice', which for the first time allows patients to choose, and be treated, at any hospital in the country, was launched on 1 April 2008. The Free Choice initiative means that most patients referred by their GP to see a specialist will be able to opt to be treated in any hospital in the...
Friends and Family Test (FFT)
Pleae click here to read the latest guidance from the BMA (released 18.11.14) The LMC has received a number of requests for more information regarding the Family and Friends Test. The Friends and Family Test (FFT) was introduced in acute hospital in-patient and A&E services in April 2013...
Friends and Family Test (FFT) - Options Available & Guidance
The Friends and Family Test (FFT) was introduced in acute hospital in-patient and A&E services in April 2013 and maternity services in October 2013. The Friends and Family Test will be a contractual requirement from October 2014 and will be introduced across General Practice on 1st December...
GDPR Headlines
BMA Guidance To read the BMA’s latest guidance on Subject Access Requests (including fees), Data Protection Officers, FAQs and more go to: https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/employment/ethics/confidentiality-and-health-records/general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr and click on ‘further...
General Practice Contract
The New General Medical Services (nGMS) contract 2003 'investing in General Practice' known as 'the blue book', was agreed in 2003 and implemented in 2004. It was a three-year contract that has seen considerable changes and enhancements year on year since then. GMS Contract Details of all...
General Practice Nurse
Please click here to access our Covid-19 Practical and Operational Issues page Introduction The role of nurses in general practice has changed and evolved in the last 20 years and many of the activities undertaken traditionally by GPs are now undertaken by nurses. The role development has...
Getting Involved
You may have heard the name Wessex LMCs but do you know what the Local Medical Committee looks like or how it works? Likewise with the BMA – you may hear about the General Practitioner’s Committee or GPC but what does that mean or feel like? If you are interested then please consider coming...
GMS Contract Changes 2018/19
The contract changes have been announced for 2018/19. NHS Employers and the British Medical Association’s General Practitioners Committee (GPC) have agreed changes to the General Medical Services (GMS) contract effective from 1 April 2018. These changes apply in England only. The contract for...
GP Contract Agreement 2019/20
The BMA’s GP committee has reached a contract agreement with NHS England spanning the next five years, which introduces widespread changes aimed at addressing both the workforce and workload pressures currently experienced by GPs in England, and improving services for patients by beginning to...
GP Health Service & Financial Support for Doctors in Difficulty
What is GPH? Access to confidential mental health and addiction support for GPs and GP trainees across England. How to access the NHS GP Health Service http://gphealth.nhs.uk/ The NHS GP Health Service (GPH) is a service for GPs or GP trainees across England, with issues relating to mental...
GP Leadership Fellows
In the face of unprecedented pressures, the landscape of the NHS is changing rapidly, and the centre of gravity is moving rapidly towards Primary Care. This represents an exciting opportunity for new GPs to be involved in improving frontline services for our patients. With the largest curriculum...
GP Returners
GP Retainers - See our dedicated page for the GP Retainer Scheme launched in 2017 - https://www.wessexlmcs.com/gpretainerscheme Both of these schemes have been refreshed with the advent of the GP Forward View. The Induction and Refresher Scheme has been streamlined and now has a dedicated...
GP Support and Development Scheme
A core part of the role of Wessex LMCs is pastoral support. The LMC offers one to one support for GPs and Practice Managers. Like everyone they might face a range of situations from both challenges in the practice to those in the rest of life. The LMC aims to support and develop individuals as...
GP Workload Tool
The GP Workload Collection is intended to build on existing data collection providing management information (non identifiable data) to NHS Digital from practice clinical systems on a monthly basis, starting on 10th September 2017. The collection includes: the number of appointments offered...
Group Consultations - Shared Medical Appointments
Group consultations, also known as shared medical appointments (SMAs), have been in existence in the USA and Australia for some time, with increased interest in the UK. Research has shown that they have advantages for both patient and clinicians. In line with the GPN 10-point plan there is a...
Guidance on Attending a Coroner’s Inquest
Witnesses may agree to attend voluntarily or may be served with a summons. Failure to answer a summons can result in a fine for contempt of court. It is important to clarify in what capacity the GP is being called. This would usually be as a professional witness. A coroner’s inquest is there...
HCA Competency Standards
We have received a number of queries from practices where HCAs have been informed they must have an NVQ level 3 or equivalent qualification to enable them to be able to give flu vaccinations. This we believe is based on the HCSW Training Standards document 2015 which is attached for information...
Head Injury Assessment for Sport
Head injuries in sport, especially rugby, are very much a hot topic at the moment. The Rugby world cup has further focused the spotlight on the subject. We all agree that sport can play an integral part in promoting physical and mental wellbeing but that the safety of participants is...
Health and Safety
Building Maintenance and Equipment (boilers, gas, water, auto doors, air conditioning) Make sure you know where the paperwork is Record when maintenance/servicing is due Contact names for troubleshooting should be made know to staff Supervising Contractors on Site Let all staff on duty know...
Hepatitis B and Occupational Health
This is a complex area and one that keep cropping up. If in doubt after reading this then please contact the office. 1. Is there a requirement under the Regulations to prescribe and administer Hepatitis B vaccination for occupational health purposes? The Regulations requires GPs to manage...
HPV Vaccination
All girls aged 12 to 13 are offered HPV (human papilloma virus) vaccination as part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme. The vaccine protects against cervical cancer. It's usually given to girls in year eight at schools in England. According to Cancer Research UK, cervical cancer is the...
I.T
Users Check to see if all your staff and partners are using IT efficiently and consistently Are all the users accessing up to date templates Consider buying in http://www.ardens.org.uk/ Is there a member of staff running searches? Do you need to source training? ( Via CSU/CCG?) E-referral...
Incapacity Benefit Appeals
A patient has asked for a report to support his appeal after having his Incapacity Benefit withdrawn. Does the GP have to provide a report? No. Under their NHS contract there is no requirement for GPs to provide reports or offer an opinion on incapacity for work to anyone else unless requested...
Individual GP Level Data - CQRS
Purpose of Collection The Government’s mandate to NHS England for 2017-182 includes a 2017-18 deliverable to work with NHS Digital and DH to provide General Practitioners (GPs) and general practices with information on the care provision for their patients. To support this deliverable, DH has...
Infection Control
MRSA Swabs for Hospitals (Pre-Op Screening) GPs are often asked to perform MRSA swabs on their patients on behalf of hospitals often as part of an assessment prior to admission for surgery. It has always been the LMC view that MRSA is not a community problem and that this is not part of core...
Infection Control in General Practice
Infection control is one of the major areas in the provision of safe care within any health care setting. It is also one of the priorities in any CQC inspection under Regulation 12 of the, Safe care and treatment, of the Health and Social Care Act 2008. There is a need for practices to be...
Infectious Diseases Notification
The Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010 - updating notification of infectious diseases New regulations (Statutory Notification of Infectious Diseases) came into force on the 6th April 2010. Notification of infectious disease by doctors has been a bedrock of health protection...
Informatics
The APHO (Association of Public Health Observatories): http://www.apho.org.uk/ General Practice Profiles are designed to assist GPs, consortia and Commissioning Organisations to ensure that they are providing and commissioning effective and appropriate healthcare services for their local...
Information Governance Support
Please see below details of who to contact if you have queries relating to Information Governance: Hampshire & IOW CCGs: 02380 627579 email: SCWCSU.IGenquiries@nhs.net BaNES, Wiltshire & Swindon CCGs: GP-IGEnquiries.scwcsu@nhs.net Dorset CCG: 01305 363567 email: Paddy.Baker@dorsetccg.nhs.uk
Internet Pharmacies
Practices across Wessex have been approached by internet pharmacies who are asking the practice to send out promotional material to patients on their behalf. Whilst there is no problem with practices providing patients with information on the available pharmacy services, we should not be...
Interpreting and Translation Services
How to use the interpretation and translation service Foreign language On 1 October 2009 NHS Hampshire awarded all foreign language interpreting and translation services to thebigword Group. The service is available to all GP practices, dentists, pharmacists and opticians commissioned by...
Jury Service for GPs
Jury Service for GPs Question: A partner at a neighbouring practice was recently called for jury service and was surprised to learn that under the new regulations he was not automatically excused. We are a small practice and would find it impossible to manage without a locum. Would NHSE /...
LMC Buying Groups Federation
Wessex LMCs joined the LMC Buying Groups Federation in October 2009 to deliver savings to practices without creating any additional work or inconvenience. All practices were given the opportunity to ‘opt-in’ to membership at that time and over 300 practices in Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire...
LMC Guide to Ear Care
As I'm sure you are aware, ear irrigation is not stipulated within the GMS contract. The GP and or qualified nurse has a duty under contract to assess the patient, undertake the appropriate examination and decide whether ear irrigation is the best course of action. Never refusing appointments...
LMC News Update Webinars
LMC News Update on 17th September 2020 GP Appraisals Dr Nigel Watson talks to Dr Susi Caesar about the changes to GP Appraisals. Susi Caesar is a Dorset GP, Appraisal Lead for Wessex and Appraisal Lead for RCGP & the Academy of Royal Medical Colleges. They are joined by Dr Gareth...
Local Workforce Issues – A Future Model?
Much has been written in recent months about the crisis in general practice due to difficulties in recruiting to and retaining the workforce, changing working patterns, increasing care demands and bureaucracy in the system of care. The debate has appeared in the popular press. Whilst rarely out...
Locum / Sessional Education & Training
Local education events are not only important for CPD points but provide an opportunity to network with colleagues. However there are plenty of useful online learning resources too. BMA https://www.bma.org.uk/events Learning and development webinars:...
Locum / Sessional GP Appraisal and Revalidation
The RCGP and GMC are aware that fulfilling appraisal and revalidation requirements can be more difficult for sessional GP's and changes have now been made to help others address this. Make sure you (and your appraiser) are clear on what is needed. RCGP Mythbusters A really great guide to read...
Locum Pensions / Indemnity / Finances
Getting your finances in order and ensuring that you access the pension scheme are both important aspects of being a successful locum. As a salaried GP the complexity is generally less but you must remember that you need to fill out a Type 2 medical practitioner form each year to ensure that the...
Managing Bariatric Patients
Obesity in England is increasing and it is estimated that 27% of adults in England are obese and a further 36% are overweight. This equates to 63% of the population being either overweight or obese and 3% of this group will be morbidity obese. We are all aware of the health risks of obesity...
Mandatory Certificate For Council Tax Discount Due To Severe Mental Impairment
People with severe mental impairment may seek special treatment with regards to both the size of the council tax bill and the identity of the person who is liable to pay it. The definition of severe mental impairment for this purpose is different from that used in the Mental Health Act. The...
Medical Records - Adopted Children
Under adoption legislation, an adopted child is given a new NHS number, and all previous medical information relating to that child is put into a newly created health record. Any information relating to the identity or whereabouts of the birth parents should not be included in the new record....
Medical Records - Handling and Retention
A brief summary of the more detailed advice is available here which includes advice about how long medical records should be kept. For definitive advice please click here: Records Management Code of Practice for Health and Social Care 2016 GMC Good Medical Practice requires that: 'you keep...
Meningitis B Vaccination Programme
Update from NHS England - Meningitis B Petition and media coverage (19th February 16) Practice staff will be aware that there is currently media coverage regarding a petition to Parliament for all children under 11 to be given Men B vaccine. This has gained impetus following endorsement by Matt...
Message in a bottle
The Lions Message in a Bottle scheme is a simple idea designed to encourage people to keep their personal and medical details on a standard form and in a common location - the fridge. The Lions Message In A Bottle Scheme 257 Alcester Road South Kings Heath Birmingham B14 6DT Tel: 0845 833...
Midwife Requests for Diamorphine "Just in Case"
We took advice from NHS Hampshire's Accountable Officer for CD prescribing whose advice is below Key message Midwives are able to possess and administer opioids so that should be the mechanism used for clinical governance and drug safety and accountability reasons As I am neither clinician...
Newsletters / Updates for Sessionals
BMA SGP Newsletter How to sign up: https://www.bma.org.uk/membership/bma-newsletter?gclid=COLNoIDgqNICFUKZGwodNg4Ayg Capita/NHSE Update from the Deputy Chair of the Sessional sub-Committee of the GPC' dated 17 May 2017 As some of you may already know, I have been meeting monthly with Capita...
NHS Acronym Buster
Have you heard acronyms being used in the NHS and don't know what they mean? The NHS Confederation has published a useful guide to every day acronyms used in the health service - click here There is also a glossary page on the CCG website that you may find useful when reading documents -...
NHS e-Referral Service
The NHS e-Referral Service replaced Choose and Book. General Information Information for patients, including booking, is available at: http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/appointment-booking/Pages/about-the-referral-system.aspx More information National support is available from NHS Digital at:...
NHS Five Year Forward View
NHS England has published its 5 year plan covering 2016/17 to 2020/21 and this will have far reaching implications for the general practice. For the full text of the document click here. Below are a few of the important issues that are included in the plan Summary The recent Government...
NHS Pathways
NHS Pathways is not a service or an organisation and there is no compulsion for local commissioners to use it. It is a clinical assessment tool, that has been designed by NHS clinicians to provide consistency in triage at all telephone entry points to the NHS including 999, 111, out of hours...
NHSE GP Resilience Programme
The new General Practice Resilience Programme (GPRP) will operate to deliver the commitment set out in the General Practice Forward View to invest £40m over the next four years to support struggling practices. This programme aims to deliver a menu of support that will help practices to become...
Non-Medical Prescribing Guidance for Prescribers In General Practice
We are in a time of great change in general practice with practices merging, evolution of federations, locality working and the emerging accountable care systems. The list based system of general practice remains a cornerstone of the NHS and is the main reason that the NHS is judged...
Nursing Associates
Please click here to access our Covid-19 Practical and Operational Issues page Introduction 'A nursing associate is a member of the nursing team in England that helps bridge the gap between health and care assistants and registered nurses. Nursing associates work with people of all ages, in...
Nursing Homes and Residential Homes
The provision of care in private hospitals and care home generates a considerable number of queries. There are a number of reasons for this: The classification of services under the new GMS contract The reclassification of some former residential and nursing homes to private hospitals The...
Out of Area Registrations and In Hours Urgent Primary Medical Services (Enhanced Service)
Choice of GP Practice NHS England released guidance on the new out of area patient registration (choice of GP practice) arrangements in November 2014, click here to access this. What does this actually mean? Within the guidance was issued it identified 2 elements to this scheme which...
Out of Hours Session and Medical Defence Cover Apr 2011
Not all MDOs are the same. It is vital that every doctor doing Out of Hours checks their Medical Defence Organisation policy and subscription to ensure they are covered for the work they contract to do. For example, it has been brought to our attention that the MPS has changed its defence cover...
Parental Responsibility, Access to Children’s Medical Records and Parental Disputes.
Basic principles Parental responsibility refers to the rights, duties, powers and responsibilities that most parents have in respect of their children. Parental responsibility includes the right of parents to consent to treatment on behalf of their children, provided the treatment is in the...
Partners - Retiring and New
Retiring Partners Checklist We are often asked who needs to be notified when a Partner retires from the Practice, so we put together some useful information below. The Adam Practice, has very kindly shared this comprehensive check list for retiring partners for you to download (which we have...
Partnerships
Wessex LMCs strongly recommend that all practices have a current partnership agreement. As to terminology, although there are technical differences between an agreement and a deed for the purposes of these guidelines, the terms “partnership agreement”, “partnership deed” and “practice...
Partnerships
Partnership Check that the Partnership Agreement is up to date https://www.wessexlmcs.com/partnerships Check your contract GMS: https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/gp-contract/ PMS:...
Paternity tests
Not all GP practices offer these and if you do, be aware of identification checking, as we know of at least one practice where a mother brought in a different child to that which she said was being tested. The following link takes you to the NHS Choices website which has an informative page for...
Patient Feedback & Surveys
For patient feedback to be valid you need over 34 surveys, which means you normally have to distribute 50 surveys to ensure you receive an adequate number of replies (again, each tool varies slightly in its numbers). It is acceptable for you to hand the questionnaires out to patients, but they...
Patient Registration
Guidance on Requirements for Registering with a GP - Standard Operating Principles for Primary Medical Care. Although there has not been any change in national policy in respect of patient registration for primary medical care services - this guidance clarifies the rights of patients and the...
Patient Specific Directions (PSDs) and Patient Group Directions (PGDs)
Patient Specific Directions (PSDs) The Medicines Act 1968 does not permit nurses who are not qualified prescribers to administer or supply prescription only medicines (POMs) unless one of three types of instruction are in place signed prescription signed Patient Specific Direction...
Patients
PPGs (Patient Participation Groups) Info and resources are here: http://www.napp.org.uk/ppgintro.html Complaints Procedure Make sure all your staff know your procedure https://www.wessexlmcs.com/nhsandsocialcarecomplaintprocedure Friends & Family...
Patients Travelling Abroad - Prescriptions & Advice
Prescriptions for patients travelling out of the country By law, the NHS ceases to have responsibility for the medical care of patients when they leave the UK. People traveling within Europe are advised to carry an authorised European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) at all times and this gives...
PCN - Clinical Pharmacists Transfer Deadline
The GPC were told by many that the window to transfer Clinical Pharmacists from previous schemes to the new PCN ARRS scheme was too short. They have therefore agreed with NHS England that this will be extended to 31 March 2020. In order to reduce future risk (of including these CPs in the...
PCN - Financial & Legal Opinions
Good progress is being made locally in terms of establishing PCNs. Most areas have agreed their geographical footprint and their member practices. Many have appointed, elected or selected their Clinical Directors. Some are concerned about the Network Agreement, the potential risk of VAT,...
PCN - Funding
In addition to the workforce costs (for the additional workforce and the clinical director) each network will receive a recurrent annual payment of £1.50 per patient (an extension of the current CCG funding, but now non-discretionary) to be used by the network practices to support their...
PCN - Social Prescribing
Please find some links below to useful resources relating to social prescribing: NHS England Social Prescribing Link Workers: Reference Guide for Primary Care Networks NHS England Social prescribing link workers: Reference guide for primary care networks - Technical Annex NHS England - Social...
PCN - What is a PCN?
Practices will form Primary Care Networks through a new Network DES, that as a DES form part of the GMS/PMS contract. Networks will facilitate shared decision making between practices for their total network populations (typically 30-50,000), around funding and workforce distribution, and drive...
PCN Workforce
The update to the GP Contract Agreement 2020/21-2023/4 brings enhancements to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS). Additional workforce will be introduced and funded through the Network. Extra Government investment is funding a further 6000 staff through the scheme at 100%...
Personal Administration Fees
Under the NHS regulations, Area Teams must make personal administration payments to all non-dispensing GMS contractors for the following; vaccines, anaesthetics and injections (with the exception of vaccines supplied for the childhood immunisation programme) diagnostic reagents for the Dick and...
Pharmacy - Prescription Direction
'Prescription direction' occurs where a patient is being directed by their GP practice to a certain pharmacy to have their prescription dispensed. Patients have a free choice between any community pharmacy and in some cases, a GP dispensary. Actions by practices seeking to influence a patient's...
PM Key Websites
LMC Law - Book of updates The LMC Law Book of Updates provides you with advice and template documents to support you in your organisations in terms of current thinking around PCNs, GDPR, and partnerships. Things change rapidly in the NHS so we will provide updates when we become aware of new...
Police Requests
Police Requests for Medical Records Statutory responsibility vs professional obligations - a personal view I am proud to be a GP and have enjoyed being part of a respected profession for over 30 years. General Practice has never been "just a job" and has always been a vocation and a...
Possible New GP Training Rotas
Dear Wessex AiTs, The new Junior Doctors contract 2016 and associated rotas are different to what has existed before in general practice. The AiT committee hopes to explain this and provides the following advice to GP trainees working in general practice at any training stage. Please remember...
Potentially Avoidable Appointments
Audit of potentially avoidable appointments and reducing bureaucracy (England only) NHS England has commissioned two pieces of work from the Primary Care Foundation, working with NHS Alliance, to look at ways in which practice workload might be reduced. The GPC is supportive of this...
Practice Manager Appraisals
Wessex LMCs has recognised the value of Practice/Business Managers to General Practices within Wessex and has supported an initiative to develop a system of appraisal for them. The Practice Managers' Supporters Scheme and the linked Appraisal Scheme have been based, with kind permission, on the...
Practice Mergers - Merger Pack & Top Tips
The LMC is often asked to facilitate merger meetings and explain the process involved and has, as a consequence, produced a merger pack which is full of information and advice around this subject. Please note that each CCG will produce its own application template so the one in the pack is an...
Pre-employment health questionnaires
Question - Can we ask applicants when they are interviewed for a new job about their health and fitness? This has become a rather difficult question as a result of the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act, which was implemented in full in October 2004. Disability in this context...
Prescribing - Self Prescribing & Family Members
Over the last year LMC has been made aware of a number of GPs who have been reported to the GMC for self-prescribing. The LMC would strongly advise GPs not to prescribe for themselves or their family, except in exceptional circumstance. The areas of high risk are controlled drugs, psychiatric...
Prescribing - Bowel Preparations for Endoscopic Investigations
In May 2009 the NPSA issued a warning about deaths and harm occurring from the use of these agents prior to procedures such as colonscopy and barium enemas. It has now been agreed that it is the responsibility of the clinician ordering the test to: assess the patient's suitability for the...
Prescribing - Co-proxamol
In January 2008 the normal distribution of co-proxamol ceased but its usage has not been banned outright. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recognised that a small number of patients will find it difficult to find a suitable alternative. They have therefore allowed...
Prescribing - Low Molecular Weight Heparins
Prescribed doses of low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) such as daltaparin, enoxaparin, tinzaparin, bemiparin (Fragmin, Clexane, Innohep, Zibor) for the treatment of a thromboembolic events, are dependent on the weight of the patient and renal function. Underdosing has an increased risk of a...
Prescribing - Repeat
Batch prescribing is a process which allows patients on repeat prescriptions of stable, regular medication to receive their medication in a new way. The GP can prescribe medication for a suitable period (perhaps twelve months for something like thyroxine) and the patient can then pick up all...
Prescribing and Dispensing
New Pharmaceutical Regulations came into force on 1st September 2012, and replaces the 2005 regulations and its many amendments. The regulations comprise 186 pages and includes ten pages of Amendments, Revocations and Explanatory Notes. One of the amendments removes the 100-hour pharmacy...
Primary Care Networks (PCNs)
Three major pieces of work have been published recently: The NHS Long Term Plan, The GP Partnership Review and The GP Contract changes for April 2019 and beyond. Individually these would have a significant impact on GPs and their practices but taken together they will have the most significant...
Primary Care Networks Video Podcasts
The introduction of the changes to the GP Contract on 1st April 2019 are arguably the most significant for many years. The introduction of State Backed Indemnity was essential not only to address the rising costs of indemnity for GPs but also to secure a better future for general practice in...
Quality First: Managing workload to deliver safe patient care
The following extract and link has been taken directly from the BMA Website. . . There is now a large and increasing gulf between the workload demands on practices and their capacity to deliver essential services to their registered patients. In a recent BMA Tracker survey, 74% of GPs...
Recording Telephone Conversations
The principles to consider if you are thinking of recording telephone calls within your practice: You must not single out conversations with individual callers - i.e. you can't just record conversations with "difficult" patients, if you are going to record then this must be done as a matter of...
Referral Management Schemes / Referral Incentive Schemes
GPs should not receive payment for reducing referrals. However, it is important that we look at our referral patterns and pathways constructively. This guidance helps you navigate and stay within the GMC Good Medical Practice code. Conflicts of interest in the new commissioning system - Doctors...
Release of Data without Consent
Patient data is sensitive personal data and must always be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Principles . It is also protected by the Human Rights Act, the Common Law Duty of Confidentiality and the doctor's professional obligation to respect patients' dignity and privacy....
Removing Patients from Practice Lists
Most removals from the GP list are for administrative reasons e.g. the patient has left the practice area or has died. You can, however, also remove patients from your list if there is an irrevocable breakdown in the doctor-patient relationship or violence. Please click here to download an...
Rubella Immunisation for Women of Childbearing Age
From April 2016 antenatal screening for rubella susceptibility for all pregnant women ceased. 'The decision to stop screening follows a review of evidence by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) in 2003 and 2012 which on both occasions found that screening for rubella susceptibility...
Safeguarding: Online Training for Child Safeguarding
Safeguarding Practice Toolkit There is a Practice toolkit on our website which is adapted from the RCGP & NSPCC's and it has been updated for local use. It is a great reference document for practices and their staff. It is practical and can be adapted for your practice. It includes relevant...
Safeguarding: Frequently Asked Questions
Recording safeguarding concerns in patient records: Coding of records: There is considerable confusion and also conflicting advice about how to deal with safeguarding information received by practices from other agencies. The coding and documentation of safeguarding concerns within patients...
Self Management
The Self management programme is for people who are living with a chronic (long-term) condition. The aim is to support people with long term conidtions and thier carers by: increasing their confidence improving their quality of life helping them manage their condition more effectively Improving...
Sending Patient Confidential Data via NHS.net email
Hints & Tips. . . Emails sent to secure email domains Always consider first if email is the best way to send the information. NHS.net email is automatically encrypted in transit, therefore any email sent from one NHS.net email account to another (e.g. xxx@nhs.net to yyy@nhs.net) is secure. The...
Seniority - GP Educators
There have been a few reports that some PCOs are not classifying GP educator work as NHS work for seniority purposes. This will reduce supperannuable income and affect eligibility for seniority payments. The GPC view (supported by their lawyers) is that GP educator work should be classified as...
Smoking Cessation Prior To Surgery
It is good practice that any patient we refer should be advised of the significant health benefits of smoking cessation. This article provides links to some useful documents that may help you with this. The LMC view is that we support this good practice. We do not support anything that...
Social Media & Website Comments
The impact of social media on the workplace is increasing and the LMC is receiving a growing number of queries from practices on how to manage social media issues both internally and externally. We have put together a short guide on what to consider, together with links to good practice and...
Spirometry
Spirometry To be deemed competent to interpret spirometry, from March 2021, health care professionals will need to be named on the Association for Respiratory, Technology and Physiology (ARTP) Register. They will be required to complete the Full Certificate in Spirometry or have completed a...
Staff and Confidentiality
The LMC is occasionally contacted by practices that have received complaints relating to a member of staff breaching patient confidentiality. In some of these cases they relate to staff who are no longer employed by the practice. We would recommend that you: Check that you all have a clause...
Stalking and Harassment
This question came into the office in 2008 Question One of our doctors is concerned that she is being stalked by a patient and is concerned for her own safety and for that of her young children. What is the best course of action? Answer The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 makes it a...
Starting As A Locum
Starting out as a locum can feel very daunting. You have qualified as a GP and are happy with the challenges of clinical complexity but being self-employed and running yourself as a business commodity can feel like a whole new world. The following links and pages are here to help you along that...
Sudden Death on Practice Premises
Beyond the immediate clinical need of a patient - if a patient is declared dead on the premises how should you proceed? If the death is sudden and unexpected you will need to contact the coroner via the police. The police will arrange for transport of the body from your site - the coroner may...
Support for GP's - What is available?
Support for GPs Click here to download: Support for GPs, What is available? Click here to download: Raising a concern - Advice for GPs Time For Care Document As General Practitioners, we spend much of our time helping and supporting our patients through their many physical and mental health...
Support for Locums / Sessional GPs
Being a locum whilst it gives huge flexibility, can lead to people feeling isolated. It is vital both for you professionally and personally to make sure you look after yourself and keep linked in with others. Each person is different and in the world now there are multiple ways of finding that...
Template Letter for Transfer of Secondary Care
Click on the following link to access the response to the inappropriate transfer of secondary care template.
The Cameron Fund
The Cameron Fund is the medical profession's only charity providing help and support solely to General Practitioners and their dependants, who find themselves living in poverty, hardship or distress. The Cameron Fund was set up in 1970, and named in memory of Sir James Cameron - a distinguished...
The Drug Tariff
The Drug Tariff is produced monthly by the Pharmaceutical Directorate of the NHS Business Services Authority, NHS Prescription Services for the Secretary of State and states: what will be paid to pharmacy contractors for NHS services provided either for reimbursement (the cost of the drugs,...
The Emergency Doctors Bag
What drugs should I carry or have accessible? GPs must be able to defend themselves on grounds of good clinical practice. Different practices operate in different settings with different resources around them i.e. a GP practising in a remote rural setting will have different considerations from...
The Future of Primary Care, Ongoing Support For The Management Of The Practice & Innovations
General Practice Forward View Please see this section of our website https://www.wessexlmcs.com/gpfvstps General Practice Improvement Leaders Programme (GPIL) The new weblink is this one https://www.england.nhs.uk/gp/gpfv/redesign/gpdp/capability/ The dates of the next cohorts of GPIL are...
The Healthy Leg Club Concept
Background NHS England undertook a process to review PMS practices with a view to ensuring equitable funding per patient across GMS & PMS practices. As a consequence of this it further highlighted a number of services general practice provides which were not included as Essential or Additional...
The independent investigation into sexism and sexual harassment at the BMA.
Wessex LMCs notes the report commissioned for the BMA and published on 17th October 2019 by Daphne Romney QC relating to the independent investigation into sexism and sexual harassment at the BMA. Wessex LMCs takes the content of this report seriously. To this end the Executive and members of...
The Nursing Team - Apprenticeships
The Nurse Degree Apprenticeship Introduction taken from www.gov.co.uk: 'The nursing degree apprenticeship will enable people to train to become a graduate registered nurse through an apprentice route. Apprentices will be released by their employer to study part-time in a higher education...
The Process of Being Revalidated
The LMC is regularly approached by GPs asking who their Responsible Officer (RO) is, and when will they be interviewed by them to be revalidated. We hope the following will be useful but if you require more information the LMC has also produced a booklet Appraisal and Revalidation Guidance for...
The Voluntary Multiple Community Provider Contract
In Wessex there has been a lot of work to try and develop better services for patients including the Vanguards in the Isle of Wight, North Hampshire and Farnham and in Southern Hampshire. There are other areas such as Dorset and Southampton who were not part of the initial Vanguard programme but...
Tips and Info on Locuming as a GP
Contributed by Duncan Walling, Aug 2010 Updated by Laura Edwards 2014. I started working as a locum GP in February 2010 after having become a partner straight from my GP Registrar year almost 5 years previously. I left the partnership to go and work as a Medical Director for the LMC. I thought...
Transfer of Health Visiting Services to Local Authority Public Health
the following Commissioning responsibilities will transfer to local authorities on 1 October 2015: Health Visiting Family Nurse Partnership (where currently commissioned) The following commissioning responsibilities will be retained by NHS England: Child Health Information Systems (CHIS) The...
Transforming Primary Care
Safe, proactive, personalised care for those who need it most. . . The document covers: Transforming Primary Care How Services will change for Patients and Carers? How Staff Working in Health and Care will be Supported? How Health and Care Services will Support the vVsion? Implementing the...
Transgender Patients / Gender Reassignment
A number of queries have been raised with GPC regarding the management of patients who present at their general practice with gender identity problems; including questions relating to patient records and confidentiality and, in particular, regarding prescribing and monitoring responsibilities in...
Travel Vaccinations
This is taken from and for more detail see: BMA's Focus on Travel Vaccinations Travel immunisations that must be given as part of NHS provision through GMS & PMS Additional Services (i.e. you cannot charge for the following vaccinations) Hepatitis A (infectious Hepatitis) first and...
Travelling with Prescribed Drugs
The rules concerning travellers who are carrying prescribed drugs controlled under Schedules 1, 2, 3 and 4 Part 1 of The Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 changed. Historically until D.S.T. December 2007, those travelling for a period of up to 28 days were automatically covered under the...
Update to GP Contract 20/21 - 23/24
2020/21 Contract The QOF element of the contract, for the remainder of 2020/21 has since been revised in light of Covid-19. The BMA have produced the following helpful brief summary: - • support practices to reprioritise aspects of care not related to COVID-19 • serve those...
Used Medication and Dressings
An estimated £450m worth of prescription medicines are discarded every year in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with around 1% of dispensed items eventually returned to a pharmacy or dispensing GP practice unused or partially used. Guidance in the UK states that any medicine...
Vaccines and Immunisations - Guidance for Practices
Patient Group Directions PGDs in Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight (Wessex) All PGDs can be found at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/south-east/our-work/info-professionals/pgd/wessex/downloads/ PGDs in Bath, Dorset, Swindon and Wiltshire South West -...
Varicella Vaccination
You cannot, as a practice, treat your NHS patients privately and although you could refer to another local practice it is frowned upon by the Competition Commission to have a sort of 'cosy arrangement' set up between you. This could be overcome by ensuring you offer a choice to patients which...
Vault Smear
Those women who have had a hysterectomy and require follow up vault smears, should be followed up by gynaecologists; this work should not fall to GPs. A meeting was held with GPC representatives and the NHS Director of Cancer Screening in July 2010, with regard to vault cytology which is not...
Wessex Healthier Together
The “Wessex Healthier Together” project is exploring how parents, carers and community services might be better supported and integrated with hospital based services so that children are able to access the ‘right care at the right time from the right person’. The Wessex Healthier Together...
Wessex LMCs opinion statement on Covid-19 antibody testing
The government has announced the start of a major new national antibody testing programme, with plans to provide antibody tests to NHS and care staff in England from the end of May. Clinicians will also be able to request the tests for patients in both hospital and social care settings if they...
Workforce Management
Policies & Procedures Keep up to date. Your insurers may offer free HR advice. Refer to www.acas.org.uk Make sure confidentiality agreements are signed https://www.wessexlmcs.com/staffandconfidentiality Expert and impartial advice is delivered by our team of occupational health professionals....
Workforce Minimum Data Set
Update July 2015 Following representations from HSCIC, the ICO has amended its advice regarding section 10 of the DPA and has agreed that the information requested by HSCIC does not contravene the act. Practices are therefore obliged to provide the information and there is no longer any point...
You have been referred to see a Specialist
To download a PDF of this leaflet, please click here: You have been referred to see a specialist
Zero Tolerance
Patients who exhibit habitually unacceptable behaviour, can be a common problem in general practice. Handling such behaviour puts a huge strain on time and resources and causes unacceptable stress for staff, who may need support in difficult situations. The following guidance has been developed...
Zika Guidance for Primary Care
Update March 2016: The joint Zika guidance for primary care has been updated to reflect the new wording for travel recommendations for pregnant women and clarification of advice on sexual transmission. The changes include: 1. Updated travel advice for pregnant women 2....
