Pharmacy First GP Connect Update Record – FAQs and revised information pack
Dear Colleagues,
It would be an understatement to say that we are facing significant challenges in primary care at the moment, but the Pharmacy First programme has offered us a considerable opportunity for General Practice and Community Pharmacy to work better together.
It is clear that good quality communication between providers, and an integrated IT interface are key to success, and a mechanism for this has been created in GP Connect. Without this activated, communication would be archaic and manual, with both workload and risk implications for Primary Care.
The enclosed pack contains more information as well as FAQs (also available on the NHS England website NHS England » GP Connect Update Record: FAQs) which we hope can offer some much-needed clarity and reassurance to general practice colleagues and system partners. The GP Connect: Update Record webpages have also been updated. I would like to draw your attention to the following key points:
- GPs continue to have the choice of whether to use this improved way of receiving post consultation summaries directly into workflow or continue receiving these communications via NHSmail or letter for manual transcribing.
- Update Record has been designed with and for general practice to minimise patient safety issues and reduce practice teams administrative burdens.
- Switching off Update Record places greater burden on community pharmacy teams and general practice teams
- General practices have an opportunity to opt in for a trial period to receive community pharmacy consultation summaries via Update Record and provide feedback
We would be grateful if you could cascade these comms and appreciate all support that you can offer to help us move this forward together.
Do contact us via the Regional Digital Transformation team england.londondtt@nhs.net if you have specific queries relating to this.
Warm Regards,
Sent on behalf of
Dr Agatha Nortley-Meshe (She/Her)
Regional Medical Director for Primary Care