Issue 168
Newsletter March 2022
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.
Mental Health Access Standards for Patients
The NHS has set out new ambitions for patients to have timely access to community mental healthcare, following a consultation on proposed new standards, as it faces record demand following the pandemic.
Patients, clinicians, and the public have welcomed the proposed mental health access standards which include ensuring people in the community receive help within four weeks for non-urgent treatment. Under the proposals, patients of all ages with an urgent mental health need would be seen by community crisis teams within 24 hours.
Updated JCVI advice for vaccinating 5 to 11-year-olds
Below is the letter released by NHSEI which has been cascaded to vaccination sites.
Next Steps for Vaccination Programme
NHSE/I has sent out a letter setting out the next steps of the vaccination programme asking local systems to plan for the April to September period, advising that general practice should focus on delivery of core/routine services to patients, and that it is likely that PCN sites will ‘hibernate’ over that period whilst being prepared to stand back up if there is a surge. Provision of COVID vaccinations over that period will be through mass vaccination sites and pharmacies, although in limited circumstances, where appropriate and agreed with local systems, PCN sites might still be utilised. Read more in the planning parameters document. The letter also announced that a second booster programme will commence in Autumn 2022, which will be limited to over 75s, care home residents and severely immuno-compromised – it will not include health and care staff. The NHSE/I letter also requests local systems about preference for delivery of the further booster programme from September. We will continue to engage with NHSE/I on this over the spring and summer
Check Your NHS Pension Scheme Protection
If you have maintained enhanced protection under the 1995 or 2008 sections, be aware this will be lost when you transition to the 2015 scheme on 1 April 2022. Members should consider opting out of the NHS pension if they want to retain the enhanced or fixed protection and do so by 31 March 2022 – it is important that you ensure that PCSE effects this promptly
Prostate Cancer Campaign
NHS England has partnered with Prostate Cancer UK (PCUK) to deliver a cancer risk awareness campaign. Read more »
Framework for Managing Performer Concerns
The framework through which NHS England will oversee and manage GPs, dentists and optometrists who are registered as a performer on the NHS England National Performers list.
Flexible working for the NHS
The NHS People Plan 2020/21 puts people at the front and centre of the NHS, including those working in primary and community care. Read more »
System Pressures and Status of COVID-19 in SYB
A sharp decline in number of positive cases has been reported in this week’s data, however this is likely connected to a reduction in the number of tests undertaken, and ONS data suggests that prevalence within communities remains high. Unfortunately the reduction in testing coupled with the relaxing of restrictions and changes in social behaviour make it difficult to predict the pattern of infections and number of cases over the coming weeks, so it’s a case of watching and waiting.
The number of cases in schools has returned to pre-Omicron levels but we expect this to rise when pupils return after half term. Whilst numbers in older people are higher than seen pre-Omicron, vaccination continues to prevent admissions to hospital. Bed occupancy continues to fall and is now below the peak was saw in November and around 60 percent of patients have incidental Covid, where Covid was not the primary cause of admission.
Positively, other respiratory illnesses are falling, and levels of flu and norovirus remains low for this time of year.
Staff absences continue to be high but are slowly improving. This may be as a direct impact of a reduction in testing in children and a decrease in the number of people needing to self -isolation.
State of the art Community Diagnostic Centre to Open in Barnsley’s Glass Works Spring
A new NHS diagnosis centre, which will bring high-tech healthcare directly to the heart of Barnsley, moved a step closer today with news that it will open to patients this Spring.
The centre, based in The Glass Works, will help alleviate pressure on existing NHS facilities and will be open seven days a week. With access to the 670 parking spaces in The Glass Works car park, it is seen as a more convenient way for patients to receive ultrasound, X-ray, breast screening, phlebotomy and bone density scans.
Barnsley Hospital’s Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Delivery Officer, Bob Kirton, said:
“We’re delighted to be able to offer vital diagnostic services to our communities in Barnsley and beyond at such a convenient location. The Glass Works is perfect for our patients and will mean people will not have to spend so much time travelling to and from the hospital for these important appointments.”
Council Leader Sir Steve Houghton said:
“The Glass Works is a superb location for the new diagnostic clinic. It’s convenient, central location will make it easier for Barnsley residents to get health scans more efficiently and will help reduce NHS waiting lists and improve overall care.
“Complementary and diversifying services such as the NHS clinic will help support the vitality of our town centre. It is just another great way to bring people right into the heart of Barnsley, growing the town centre community and of course, supporting our local and national businesses. Whilst they’re here, we hope they explore our new and existing restaurants, shops, art galleries and famous markets.”
Staffed by a multi-disciplinary team, NHS leaders say the clinic will allow hospitals to treat those most in need and help tackle the backlog created during the Covid-19 pandemic. Local GPs will also be able to refer their patients to the clinic so their patients can access tests closer to home.
The new one-stop-shop for checks, scans and tests is one of 40 opening across England, set to provide around 2.8 million scans in the first full year of operation. The funding for the diagnostics centre at The Glass Works has been secured by South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Integrated Care System (SYBICS), who secured £3 million for two initial sites in South Yorkshire – The Glass Works and Montagu Hospital in Mexborough.
Core20PLUS5 – An Approach to Reducing Health Inequalities
ICS Service Improvement are trying to get funding to do with health and equality, and NHS England have launched “core20plus5”. Please see the link below for more information.
https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/equality/equality-hub/core20plus5/
The 20 refers to 20% most deprived populations on the index of multiple deprivations, the plus is certain groups such as homeless, drug/alcohol dependence, ethnic minorities and others, and the 5 is 5 clinical areas – maternity, severe mental illness, chronic respiratory disease, early cancer detection and hypertension case finding.
It’s about reducing health inequalities and the ICS CYP (Children and Young People) transformation programme is hoping to get funding for all parts of SYB, so they are looking for GPs who are doing work within these areas who would be interested in working together to develop proposals that work for the most deprived.
If any local GPs are interested in finding out more about this please contact Dr Robert Farmer, Walderslade Surgery, (robert.farmer@nhs.net).
LMC Buying Group
Barnsley LMC has been a member of the LMC Buying Groups Federation since 2013. This means that practices can access the discounts the Buying Group has negotiated on a wide range of products and services. If you’re not sure what the Buying Group is all about then this short video explains what they do: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FekMwFI5ILg.
By registering with the Buying Group: www.lmcbuyinggroups.co.uk/members/, you can view all the suppliers’ pricing, contact details and request quotes. The Buying Group also offers any member practice a free cost analysis which demonstrates how much money your practice could save just by swapping to buying group suppliers. Tel: 0115 979 6910 Email: info@lmcbuyinggroups.co.uk Website: www.lmcbuyinggroups.co.uk