Primary care IT funding update
IT funding update
GP SIM cards for COVID laptops
- Message to practices that SIM card contracts won’t be renewed
- EMIS cannot provide any usage information
As you may remember during the pandemic some laptops were distributed to allow staff to work from home. Some of EMIS Anywhere laptops also came with SIM cards which enabled working from remote locations that did not have Wi-Fi.
As these contracts come to an end, we will not be in a position to renew the contracts on the SIM cards. Unfortunately EMIS are not able to advise who the actual users are for the active SIM cards. The SIM cards will cease to work over the coming weeks. If you need your device to work using data, practices can purchase there own SIM cards and install them into the EMIS anywhere devices or use Wi-Fi.
We have been able to identify that a number of devices are now being stored at practices. Where devices are no longer required please contact the IT service who will arrange for the collection of the unused laptops to redistribute where appropriate and reduce unnecessary support and licence costs.
Jayex
- Messaging to LMC and via GP newsletter
- Practices to fund any new Jayex type equipment
Dear Colleagues
We have recently had a number of requests for funding replacement for Jayex / patient call or check in screens for practices. When these systems were initially installed they originally came with a number of years ago where one off funding was available. Where these now are faulty and need replacing this will be a practice cost. We are therefore writing to confirm that these screens are non-core and are therefore not funded from the GP IT budget at the ICB. We would encourage practices within a PCN to come together and consider the benefits where a number need to be replaced that may be realised from having one contract for the PCN which could offer better value for practices.
If you have any question regarding this email, please speak to your practices Primary Care Improvement Leads.
Dual screen update
- Current policy is to enable for clinical staff to support remote consultations
- Plan to extend to non-clinical staff to support total triage but will not be every device, via business case process
- Some screens available but this is not a funded / resourced project so will be best endeavours, re-allocating used equipment
- Priority sites / places requested from Primary Care. No fanfare about this work due to the funding
Cervical screening
- All IT required changes made
- Some practices need to add users – comms issued
- Open Exeter being decommissioned in 2024
Switch upgrades
- Practice availability / need for practice early closure
- Delays with upgrades due to limited practice availability
- GP still consulting and engineers turned away impacting critical updates
- What are the best ways to engage? Some upgrades will need to take place over lunchtimes
- How much notice is required?
Teams Telephony – ICB
- Need to know existing ICB numbers in use
- Any central / public numbers
- Please share with Alan Hayworth / Simon and we will send you a template
- Primary Care awareness numbers will stay the same but transferred to a new system