DDLMC WEEKLY UPDATE 03/08/22
DDLMC INFORMATION
URGENT IMPORTANT UPDATE
Issues Affecting DHU 111 and Out of HoursServices
There is currently a national IT issue affecting Adastra (the computer program used by DHU and many other 111 and out of hours providers across the country). This started early on Thursday morning and is ongoing at the time of writing with no clear time identified for resolution. This is affecting the recording of 111 and DHU OOH meaning all consultations are being recorded by hand and subsequently affecting other aspects of the care pathway including the direct booking from 111 into practices.
Impact on practices;
- Until resolved there will be no automatic booking into practice 111 triage slots, patients are being asked by the 111 service to phone the practice if a GP disposition has been identified.
- Letters are not being generated following consultations and are not going through to practices, there will be a backlog arriving once resolved, so please be aware of this.
- At present there are no additional patient delays so hopefully there will not be an impact on patient consultations in practices next week but this may change depending on how things go over the weekend.
- Practices will have patients presenting next week where clinical information from 111/OOH over the weekend is not available.
The DHU team have worked incredibly hard over the last 36 hours so mitigate the impact of this national issue which is beyond their direct control. Additional admin staff have been brought in this weekend to further minimise the impact but your support through a challenging time when we are already busy is much appreciated.
Important Information Regarding Immediate Removal of Patients (Sent on behalf of DDICB)
As we are receiving a higher number of immediate removal requests, some of which do not meet the guidance of an immediate removal, the Special Allocations Team of the ICB have introduced an additional process which needs to be followed before practices request an immediate removal via the PCSE portal.
Attached is an updated flowchart and the Immediate Removal Prior Approval Application form which needs to be submitted and approval granted before an immediate removal can be processed. The reason we have taken this action is because PCSE are not contracted to review the requests, they just process the removal and if a request is rejected by the Special Allocation Scheme provider, then this causes a lengthy delay in the process.
Also, the NHSE/I Guidance and Policy Manual has recently been updated to include a section on Managing Non Violent and Unacceptable Patient Behaviour, an extract has been attached to this email, along with a Warning Template and Good Behaviour Guidance Agreement for practices to use.
Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the Primary Care Team via the LCSF email address ddicb.lcsf@nhs.net
Latest Flu Update and Letter 22.07.2022
The offer of seasonal influenza immunisation will be extended to healthy 50 to 64 year olds later in the season. Providers are asked to start vaccinating this age group from 15 October 2022. Any vaccinations given to the cohort before this date will not be reimbursed.
Vaccines offered to this cohort should be those advised by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), as set out in the B1868_Reimbursable-vaccines-and-eligible-cohorts-for-the-2022-23-NHS-Seasonal-Influenza-flu-Vaccination-Progra.pdf (england.nhs.uk)
The advice of JCVI was that the most vulnerable cohorts should be prioritised over the otherwise healthy 50 to 64 year olds and given the most effective vaccines available first, QIVr (recombinant Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine) or QIVc where possible, while QIVe should be reserved for otherwise healthy 50 to 64 year olds
Please see the below link to latest flu letter 22nd July 2022 which identifies cohorts 50 Plus, vaccine source and type for your information. Statement of amendments to annual flu letter – 21 July 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
DDRB Pay Rise Update 2022
This week we joined the LMC Network Meeting, attended by Dr Farah Jameel Chair, GPC England.
The advice given is that practices must review their salaried GP contracts to determine whether it specifies pay rises in line with DDRB recommendations. There may be alternatives to pay rises such as additional annual leave, these decisions would need to be made by individual practices and in agreement with the salaried GPs.
Salaried GPs
• 4.5% uplift to the minimum and maximum pay range set out in the model terms and conditions, though it remains the case that GP practices ultimately determine uplifts in pay for their employees based on the terms of the contract held.
Agenda for Change Staff
• £1,400 full-time equivalent consolidated uplift for bands 1 to mid-band 6
• This figure is additional to the uplift for Band 1 and Band 2 staff given in April this year, in order
To ensure that these salaries did not fall below the legally mandated national living wage.
• An enhanced 4% uplift has been applied for staff at the top of band 6, and at all points in band 7 (meaning all staff will see at least a 4% nominal terms pay rise).
LOCAL UPDATES
Cohorts & Provider Info for 22-23 Immunisation Programmes
In preparation for the new academic year starting on 1st September 2022, I have revised our immunisation cohorts and provider information for the children’s flu programmes and adolescent immunisation programmes Cohorts and Provider info for 22.23 Imms Programmes.pdf
Standard Operating Procedure for Improving Communication Between External Users and General Practices
COMING SOON SOP Title: Task Allocation within Clinical Systems and Improving Communication Flow between System Partners… WATCH THIS SPACE
What this means for Clinicians in Primary Care:
- External Partners are being asked to:
- RING if a matter is urgent (ie response needed by end of next working day)
- Send all tasks to a new universally named task box named "External Tasks to GP Practice" which every S1 practice will create, or email to the Generic Practice Email address (EMIS)
- All written Tasks (S1) / Emails (EMIS) must include contact details of individual sender and alternative contact in case clarification required
(NOTE: Some S1 practices will have created a task rule to move any messages on to the practice team who will be managing the tasks. If your practice is set up like this, the task WILL NOT sit in the new box as it will have passed through to the team who usually manage your tasks)
- External Partners are being asked to use the SBARC structure
(Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation / Request, Contact details) to format their communications. We would also ask for you to do the same in your communcations.
If you have any questions, please email ddicb.primarycarequalityteam@nhs.net
(FAO: Dr Neil Fray (Clinical Lead) and Lisa Roberts, Clinical Quality Manager NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board (ICB Project Lead)
NATIONAL UPDATES
Monkeypox Pathway
Monkeypox has now been identified as a Public Health Emergency of National concern. Please find attached the Monkeypox pathway to support General practice.
The number of Monkeypox cases continues to increase nationally. Please be aware that as guidance is continually changing we will continue to provide updates as we receive them, to support General Practice, which will include a weekly update.
Sexual activity (gay, bisexual and MSM) continues to be the main source of infection; however, this is not always apparent and cases are moving into the general population. A flowchart is also attached to support decision making and swabbing processes.
On behalf of Derbys & Lincs Arden & GEM CSU
One Advanced (advanced) suppliers support a number of services/software and the list can be found on the Service Page with the current status: AHC (oneadvanced.com) Note: DocMan is not affected as it is hosted separately.
Supplementary information
- General Practice Flowchart V5.pdf
- GP Practice POSTER Improving Communication betwee_1621128896.pdf
- Immediate Removal Prior Approval Application July 2022.docx
- Managing non-violent inappropriate and unacceptable patient behaviour.docx
- Monkeypox Pathway for General Practice V5.pdf
- Special Allocation Scheme Referral Process Flowchart v2.docx
- Template Good Behaviour Guidance Agreement.docx
- Template Warning letter.docx