COVID-19 UPDATE BRIEFING DDLMC – 19.06.2020
The level of time critical COVID-19 information has tailed off markedly in the last 2 weeks and much of the information that is now being forwarded is more routine. We are therefore in discussion with the CCG about the future format of these updates. As an LMC, we are acutely aware how well received these updates have been and we will continue to provide (at least) a weekly round-up, starting from the beginning of July. We would welcome any feedback (to me by return e-mail please), particularly on today’s format and content (as an experiment!!).
STOP PRESS
Thank you - A Message from JUCD. The senior leadership of JUCD have written to all providers (Attachment W) to say a huge thank you for your efforts during the pandemic and to capture the improved ways of working.
CCG UPDATES
The CCG Comms Team collate some of the information for this bulletin and rather than rewrite and reproduce it, for expediency today, I have included their update as Attachment A (with Associated Attachments 1-7).
LOCAL UPDATES
Staff Risk Assessments. The Sim Sall at the CCG asked us to include the following ‘We understand that most practices have now completed their staff risk assessments (including risk to BAME staff). If you haven’t and would like help with this, or if you have and have issues you would like to escalate then please contact Sim at sim.sall@nhs.net (tel: 07919466235). We won’t ask practices to submit a return on this now, but will assume that if we do not hear then you have done the risk assessment and taken appropriate action.’
Red Taxi Service. This service has seen very low usage and was costing not insignificant sums of money to have three cars on standby every day. However, there remains a need for the very small number of patients using this service and the CCG have agreed that this will be picked up through spare capacity in the Red Home Visiting Service. The Red Taxi Service will therefore cease to be available with immediate effect and the requirement (and capacity of the Red Home Visiting Service) will be reviewed on a regular basis.
Long Term Conditions Update. Dr Kriss Owen and the LTC team has updated their guidance and provided guidance on how to run searches in practices systems (Attachment X and Y)
OTHER UPDATES
Nurse Peer Support. A reminder that GP-S are offering Nurse Peer Support during this time. A poster is available for practices to use (Attachment Z)
PUBLIC MESSAGES
Face Coverings in Practice. The NHSE/PHE announcement last week that further guidance would follow on face coverings being made compulsory in GP practices has now been amended. It has not in fact been made compulsory and the PHE guidance remains extant. It remains very strongly recommended that any patient entering a GP premises should wear a face covering and we know many practices are already enforcing this.
AND FINALLY…
A thought from Roald Dahl. “I think probably kindness is my number one attribute in a human being. I’ll put it before any of the things like courage and bravery or generosity or anything else… Kindness – that simple word. To be kind – it covers everything, to my mind, If you’re kind that’s it.”
If you are at a loose end this weekend there is a protest in Derby about cake decorations. Police are expecting hundreds and thousands to turn up. ?