BEST Events – Held @ Shaw Lane Sports Club, Barnsley
For further information the BEST Portal Website can be accessed at http://best.barnsleyccg.nhs.uk/
Medicines Management
Shared care and Amber-G guidelines can be found at the following link: http://best.barnsleyccg.nhs.uk/clinical-support/medicines/shared-care-guidelines/ An overview of Shared Care guidelines, including the Principles of Shared Care is available to read here.
Prescribers (including secondary care clinicians) are encouraged to report any problems they experience with shared care or other medicines related issue, particularly where guidelines are not being complied with, to the following email address: BarnsleyAPCReport@nhs.net.
With secondary care opening up activity and undertaking remote consultations, it has been reported that there has been increased pressure in primary care to undertake things they wouldn’t normally. Due to this, the APC reporting has been temporarily expanded to capture any issues and these can be fed into the APC. The hospitals need this information so that issues can be addressed.
Practices can now report any interface issues they have, as much as possible, via Barnsley LMC, which will then be submitted to the hospitals.
A list of Prescribing Guidelines is available to view here.
The Barnsley Area Joint Formulary is available to view here.
Medicines Management monthly Newsletters are available to view here.
Workload Shift
Barnsley LMC would like to remind all practices it is important that we receive examples of any workload shift. Please provide examples of workload shift to barnsley.lmc@nhs.net in order that these can be taken to the meeting with Secondary Care.
Barnsley LMC would like to inform practices that if there are any examples of workload shift from Sheffield Hospitals they can now be emailed to Sth.Impagsheffield@nhs.net.
Safe working in general practice
The BMA’s England GP committee (GPCE) has generated the following guide to enable practices to prioritise safe patient care, within the present bounds of the GMS contract.
Updated guidance on accelerated access to GP-held patient records
On 31 October 2023, practices are contractually obligated to provide record access for patients. GPC England has written guidance to address common questions, key deadlines and practical considerations to extending online access.
Choice to help cut hospital waiting times
Patients will be given more choice and greater control over their own care, including through the NHS App. A letter issued by the NHS to local areas will require patients to be offered choice when clinically appropriate. After speaking with their GP, patients will be able to view information for up to five healthcare providers – filtered by distance, waiting times and quality of care. They will then be able to make a choice about where they go for treatment using the NHS App or website.
Statin tool supports shared decision-making
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) updated their patient decision aid on using statins to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events. This practical resource includes a tool for patients to consider what is and is not important to them in cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention. It has visual representations showing the risks and benefits of CVD prevention treatments. NICE have updated their recommendations on risk assessment tools for primary prevention, cardioprotective diets, and statin treatment for primary and secondary prevention.
Update From GPDF Ch
Apologies for the radio silence over the last few weeks. The board at GPDF have been busy behind the scenes on the deed of grant negotiations and on the internal restructuring work needed, plus the day job! I am hoping to resume more regular updates now.
I spoke at the UK Conference of LMCs in London last week and am grateful for all colleagues who came and spoke to me directly, and to the other GPDF directors who were also all present. This update is a summary of my speech so that hopefully all members are up to date with what we’ve been doing. I’m not going to repeat the events of recent months, but suffice to say from January of this year the new board have had 3 jobs:
1) Stabilise GPDF
2) Reform the organisation
3) Implement a longer-term plan
The stabilising part needed to restore trust between the new board and LMCs, and we were acutely aware we needed to reduce expenditure – particularly internal costs – as well as engaging directly with LMCs to hear their concerns. All directors have been in touch with a number of LMCs, and we’ve accepted all the invitations we’ve received to come to meetings and speak to committees and officers. None of the feedback we’ve received has been unhelpful, or unexpected, and everything LMCs have asked for has been reasonable and proportionate. We hope you have seen a change in tone and approach from us, and the immediate financial changes we made have included:
– Cancellation of a number of contacts with external organisations and individuals
– Reducing personal spending limit approval down to £1000 for the chair (previously £25,000) so all other amounts must be reviewed and scrutinised by the whole board
– Stopped repeated surveys and LMC research being sent out
– Holding board meetings virtually by default – these have been taking place fortnightly from January due to the sheer volume of work needed.
– Cancellation of the worldwide travel insurance for all directors.
– All additional internal committees being stepped down to allow focus only on core functions and reform.
– Re-procurement of back-office functions saving us £15k a year
We have also begun the deed of grant negotiations with the BMA. First this has been around an extension as the current arrangement ends next month, and discussions on the substantive new arrangement have also begun. Once the extension is signed off shortly, there will be LMC engagement events held across all 3 nations to update LMCs and seek their further input on the permanent replacement. Dr Julius Parker, our director leading the negotiations will be arranging these and communicating with you. The new deed of grant will look different and feel different, and we have approached negotiations in an open way with our BMA colleagues who have done the same. Discussions so far have been constructive and positive with mutual recognition the current arrangement isn’t working and a desire to solve this collaboratively.
Reforming the organisation has begun in earnest, and the board wanted to focus on the function of GPDF, then look at what form is needed to deliver this in the most efficient and cost-effective way. The core functions of GPDF are:
– Collect the levy from LMCs in a simple, reliable, and accurate way that generates minimal work for you
– Contribute to the costs of national representation
– Fund the LMC conferences and secretaries conference
– Fund LMCs legal cases and projects
We will be proposing changes to the articles of association to cement and lock in the work done during 2023 to secure an LMC led model for future years, that cannot be altered by a change in individuals on the board. We need to deliver a strategic review of GPDF to deliver on this and have engaged David Wood to do so. David is an experienced CEO in the voluntary sector for Attend which is the over-arching organisation behind the League of Friends groups throughout the UK. He knows how membership organisations should work, is familiar with the healthcare sector, and is a cost effective choice for this piece of work which will report to the AGM in September. David is also going to be stepping in as interim CEO because after many years at the GPDF, both Hugh Christie and John Canning will be leaving the organisation in the next few weeks. From 1st June David will be taking over the day to day running of GPDF, working alongside myself and the board. Once the review is complete, we can then recruit into more permanent posts – the board are acutely aware that LMCs want to see GPDF reduce its internal costs and expenditure and this allows us chance to do this. David is keen to meet and talk to LMCs and he can be contacted via his email david.wood@attend.org.uk
The long-term planning for GPDF will then kick in from September. At the AGM in September the board will share with you our plan for the coming 12 months. This will include headlines from the new arrangement with the BMA, the outcome of the strategic review, and a chance for new members to stand for the board. In line with our collective commitment to LMCs, all the board will step down before the AGM in September. Some of us will stand for re-election, while others (myself included) will step back. Any member of GPDF can put themselves forward for election to the board. The window for doing so is 7th June until 8th August, and more information on how to do this will follow. The AGM will take place at 11am on Friday 8th September where the board will be voted in. There will be lots more communication and information to come. Please keep communicating with us.
Your GPDF directors are:
Zoe Norris (Chair)
Keith McIntyre, Scotland
Phil Cox, Wales
Kalindi Tumurugoti, England
Julius Parker, England
Paul Evans, England
Jon Stanley, Non-exec director
Zoë Norriss
Chair
Combination Therapy for Women With Womb Cancer
Hundreds of women with advanced womb cancer in England are to be offered a new option, as the NHS rolls out a combination therapy that can halt the progression of the disease for twice as long as chemotherapy. The NHS has agreed landmark commercial deals for two drugs from different manufacturers, which will be used in combination to treat advanced endometrial cancer in between 500 and 750 women each year.
EMIS Web Panic Button Update
Publish Date: 25/05/2023 14:00:37 BST
In March 2023, we informed users of our intention to remove the Panic Button functionality from EMIS Web due to concerns regarding its efficacy (including, that certain local network configurations prevent the button working as designed). Our clinical team advised it would be better to remove this functionality rather than have users relying on a solution which may not function as intended in every instance and recommend customers adopt an alternative approach to staff safety.
We take the safety of our users very seriously, and we are supporting senior clinicians at NHS England who are seeking to develop a future standard of safety in Practices and consultation rooms.
As part of this collaboration, we have confirmed a date for when the Panic Button will be removed as standard from EMIS Web, and also agreed an approach for users who have not yet implemented an alternative solution.
We will be removing the Panic Button as standard from EMIS Web on Friday 29th September 2023. From this date, the Panic Button icon and functionality will be removed unless we receive specific instruction from customers (see below).
Organisations can request that the Panic Button in EMIS Web remains available for their organisations beyond Friday 29th September 2023. As part of this request, you will be required to acknowledge and accept responsibility for the known risks and limitations associated with the functionality.
Organisations who request the Panic Button to remain available, will be able to request that it is subsequently disabled at any time. We will not accept requests for the functionality to be reactivated once it has been disabled.
More details on how to make this request will be provided by mid-June.
Please note: Whilst the Panic Button is still currently available in EMIS Web, the Service Status on EMIS Now advises that users: (i) are made aware of the potential limitation associated with use of the Panic Button; and (ii) consider putting a local plan in place for emergency situations. This will remain until the functionality is removed on Friday 29th September 2023. For Organisations that request for the functionality to remain after this date, appropriate guidance will be provided as part of the request process.
Thanks,
EMIS
Caldicott Guardians – Access to Records
An agreement has been sent out to practice managers regarding the sharing of access to records and information between South Yorkshire and Humberside sites, such as social care, secondary care, primary care and whether your practice would like to be part of a pilot. The agreement is requesting Caldicott Guardians to sign. There is a data sharing agreement to sign, but before agreeing and signing the document please read the small print to ensure you understand what you are agreeing to and who is responsible for what.
LMC Buying Group
A Reminder about LMC Buying Group Membership
The LMC Buying Group helps GP practices save money on products and services they regularly buy. The Buying Group have negotiated excellent discounts on a wide range of products and services from their approved suppliers.
Buying Group membership is completely free and there is no compulsion to use all the suppliers. They do the hard work associated with finding the most competitive suppliers in cost and customer service, so they save you time as well as money on your purchasing!
Although the Buying Group was originally set up to help GP practices save money on the products and services they regularly buy, membership is now also open to GP Federations and Primary Care Networks.
Why use the Buying Group?
- No membership fees
- Excellent negotiated discounts from a range of suppliers
- Quality products and services
- Free cost analysis for members
- No need to ‘shop around’ anymore – we’ve done the hard work already!
- Access to a recruitment platform to advertise your clinical and non-clinical roles for free and a premium ‘Featured Job’ package for a small fee.
- Access to a community resource hub
If you’re not sure whether you’re a member and/or have access to the Buying Group website (this is where you can view the pricing/discounts and get quotes) then contact the Buying Group team on 0115 979 6910 or info@lmcbuyinggroups.co.uk . They can also help you with any questions you might have about your membership or the suppliers.