DAILY COVID-19 BRIEFING DDLMC – 01.05.2020
JOINT DDLMC/ GPA / GPTF / DCHS COVID RESPONSE TEAM
Over the past month, whilst working on support for the acute phase of the pandemic, we have also been looking towards the future and what the ‘new normal’ general practice will look like post COVID19. This is in line with the recovery phase of the pandemic mentioned in Simon Stevens’ letter. Dr Duncan Gooch has produced the attached slides (Attachment A) to stimulate thinking about how general practice uses this experience to move forward as a central pillar of the health and social care system in Derbyshire.
We would like as wide an engagement with practice teams as possible to help formulate thinking around how general practice evolves. Particularly around this diagram.
Please send your thoughts via email to emma.prokopiuk@nhs.net at the CCG.
NATIONAL UPDATES
PCN DES. While not specifically COVID-19 related the pandemic may have restricted practices ability to review the requirements of the PCN DES before the opt-out deadline of 31st May 2020. In order to help you make an informed decision I have produced a summary of the changes (Attachment B) and Dr Kath Markus has produced a summary of the DDLMC involvement in the PCN DES debate (Attachment C). If you wish to remain signed up to the PCN DES you don’t need to do anything other than completing the PCN Network Contract DES participation form 2020/21 which the CCG circulated on 28th April.
LOCAL UPDATES
District nursing referrals. Dr Ian Lawrence has asked us to share the following:
“Apologies from DCHS. The Central Access Point (CAP) to Community Nursing asks external agencies (hospitals, care homes etc.) to complete a short referral form when referring to District Nurses. Through a misunderstanding on Tuesday 28th April, the CAP started asking for all referrers to use this form, including General Practices. As soon as this was highlighted to us, the process was corrected and returned back to previous arrangements. DCHS would like to confirm that this form is not required for GP referrals into District Nursing and apologise for any frustration this has caused.”
Children’s & Young People Mental Health & Wellbeing Services. Community Joined Up Care Derbyshire are working with a range of organisations who have come together to offer mental health support to Children and Young People during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have produced the update (Attachment D) which provides a summary of how to access services.
Meds Man Bulletin Please see link to latest Meds Management update, which contains a diabetes update, considerations of COVID-19 during Ramadan and a Vitamin D recommendation.
Death Verification, Certification and Cremation Forms. The long awaited (and hopefully final pandemic related) guidance is now complete and is at Attachment E. This will hopefully provide a pragmatic, mutually acceptable methodology for caring for the deceased during the pandemic and we will review the guidance when the pandemic is over. GPs should note that these interim measures do not alter our fundamental view of GPs statutory responsibilities in this area.
OTHER UPDATES
Other Clinicians Contacting Practices. The CCG emailed on April 28th requesting a bypass number for practices, to allow other provider clinicians to contact you directly. We hope that this will help clinicians and enhance patient care.
Thank you to the practices who have responded and a reminder that the CCG need this information by COP on Monday 4th May, via ddccg.primarycarequalityteam@nhs.net.
Please advise which option you prefer and associated information:
- Existing direct telephone number (not main switchboard). Please provide telephone number and contact name if applicable.
- Using an option on your telephone system whereby clinicians could bypass calls in waiting. Please provide details.
(For support to set this up please contact the CCG).
- Mobile phone? The CCG can provide mobile phone for an initial 3-month period as part of the COVID response. Phone will need to be returned after agreed period.
Thank you for your support in this matter.
Nurses in Primary and Community Care. Health Education England e-Learning for Healthcare (HEE e-LfH) has recently added a new learning pathway to help the health and care workforce respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. It covers, Registered nurses and AHPs deployed from a different clinical specialty, Returning nurses/midwives, Newly registered nurses and AHPs, or students opting into a revised programme structure, Internationally trained nurses awaiting UK registration, Independent sector nurses supporting the NHS, Physical skills for nurses and AHPs working in mental health, learning disability and autism. The new pathway can be found here :
This programme is free to access for the UK health and care workforce, without the need to register. However, if staff wish to record their learning activity against their user account, they will need to either log in or register here . If you have any questions about the resources, please contact Agnes.Hibbert@hee.nhs.uk.
An Apology. It has been brought to my attention that on 2 occasions last week, we misspelt Ramadan on the daily update. This was a simple error caused by the rush to get the update out. If this caused any offence, please can we offer our sincerest apologies and take this opportunity to wish you all Ramadan Mubarak.
AND FINALLY…
At the risk of tempting fate, the volume of time critical COVID-19 information for general practice is reducing. We will continue to keep a close eye on what is coming in, but the tentative plan is to reduce the frequency of these updates to 3 times a week (Mon, Weds, Fri). If there is anything urgent, we will of course share it with you.
Claire and I have received lots of lovely comments and feedback about these updates and thank you all for taking time to send those in. While it has been our signatures at the bottom this has been very much a team effort and I just want to say a very big thank you to everyone who has contributed. I’m not going to name names as that would inevitably lead to me leaving someone out, but you all know who you are. Thank-you.
Today’s offering is a poem from Irish poet John O’Donohue. (thanks to Dave Hill for sharing). Have a good weekend.
I bless the night that nourished my heart, To set the ghosts of longing free
Into the flow and figure of dream, That went to harvest from the dark
Bread for the hunger no one sees
All that is eternal in me, Welcomes the wonder of this day,
The field of brightness it creates, Offering time for each thing
To arise and illuminate.
I place on the altar of dawn: The quiet loyalty of breath,
The tent of thought where I shelter, Waves of desire I am shore to
And all beauty drawn to the eye.
May my mind come alive today, To the invisible geography
That invites me to new frontiers, To break the dead shell of yesterdays,
To risk being disturbed and changed.
May I have the courage today To live the life that I would love,
To postpone my dream no longer But do at last what I came here for
And waste my heart on fear no more.