News
Infection prevention and control team newsletter – November 2023
Please download the November 2023 edition.
To action – Updated messaging for your practice website and voicemails
We have developed some simpler messaging for your practice websites and voicemail messages covering how to access urgent and routine appointments.
PH S7A Letter to NHS Professionals re Termination of London eRedbook pilot – NEL plan to extend
We are pleased to advise that NEL is supporting the extension of the eRedbook across North East London.
Wait Well, Stay Well patient site
We are encouraging our GP and hospital consultant colleagues to direct patients to the website while they are waiting, it can provide them with information to help them to manage their condition and stay healthy.
C&H – Competencies for General Practice Nurses and General Practice Nursing Associates
City and Hackney GP Confederation has recently completed a huge project to create a comprehensive competency framework for General Practice Nurses and General Practice Nursing Associates.
Clinicians from North East London join new academy to tackle CVD
Ten clinicians from North East London have joined UCLPartners’ CVD Academy, launched on 7 November.
UCLPartners publishes Proactive Care Framework for Heart Failure
UCLPartners published a Proactive Care Framework for Heart Failure which has been developed to support the circa 600,000 people in the UK living with diagnosed heart failure.
November 2023 – Latest diphtheria briefing note from UKHSA
Please find attached the latest UKHSA briefing note on diphtheria.
Primary Care Update – Multidisciplinary Rapid Access Diagnostic Clinic (MRADC) at Barts Health – November 2023
We are writing to update you on referring to the MRADC clinic (also known as rapid diagnostic clinic, RDC) at Barts Health. We apologise for the confusion in our last communications which informed GPs that this clinic was paused.
C&H – Heads Up – mental health services
Please display this poster in your surgery to highlight the Heads Up NHS mental health service in City and Hackney.
General practice and the use of CVDPREVENT audit data for purposes of the national obesity audit
NHS England’s Long Term Plan commitment to build an evidence base for interventions for people who are overweight and living with obesity.
Infection prevention and control team newsletter – October 2023
Read the latest edition of the Infection prevention and control team newsletter.
New Soft Tissue Sarcoma Hub and Spoke services in London
A new diagnostic pathway has been developed for adult soft tissue sarcoma referrals in London.
Switching to digital telephony contracts
As part of the Delivery Plan for Recovering Access to Primary Care, funding is being made available to all general practices that are still on analogue telephone lines, to transition to new digital telephony systems.
C&H – Vaccination UK school-aged immunisation clinics
For any children that missed their school’s flu vaccination day, Vaccination UK are running five community clinics prior to the end of the school campaign.
C&H – Safeguarding children partnership training
The November edition of the City and Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership is now available to download.
C&H – Oral Health Training event
Oral health training, provided by Kent Community Health team.
Allergy Clinic
if you are submitting a referral based on concerns about a patient’s potential allergy to covid vaccination, you MUST have read the national green book guidance on contraindications first.
GP Practice Bypass numbers
The NEL Primary Care Team is working through practice telephone and generic email detail records and would like you to provide your practices latest details.
C&H – A look at the Transitional Pain Clinic at Homerton
The Homerton Inpatient Pain team wants to give you a brief summary of their new Transitional Pain Clinic.
e-Referral Service (e-RS) – browser address change
e-RS web-based users should change the browser address (URL) they use to access e-RS by the end of November.
New Medical Certificate of Cause of Death for statutory medical examiner system
The NHS Business Services Authority and the Department of Health and Social Care are developing a digital Medical Certificate of Cause of Death for England and Wales.
Patient Access To Medical Records
The latest information has been summarised into one page.
Shingles Vaccination Programme Technical Guidance published
NHSE confirming the 2023/24 national vaccinations and immunisations catch-up campaign will focus on measles, mumps, and rubella.
Homerton’s early pregnancy service is moving
From Wednesday 1 November, the Early Pregnancy Service and Abortion Care Service at Homerton University Hospital are moving to the Emergency Gynaecology Unit.
BHRUT – Frailty line pilot
Looking for some advice and guidance on how best to manage a frail older patient (>65yrs) presenting in crisis?
BHRUT: Children’s helpline
Details on BHRUT’s children’s advice and guidance line
Pressure in our system
Currently Queen’s is at OPEL (Operational Pressures Escalation Levels) 4 which is the highest level with associated impacts on care, and KGH is on OPEL 3.
Antenatal vaccinations during the autumn vaccine programme
There is no national call/recall system and local services should ensure that all pregnant women are informed of their eligibility as part of routine care.
Giving patients online access to new GP health record entries by 31 October
Nearly two thirds of GP practices provide patients with online access to new health record entries and by 31 October, all practices are required to do so.
New arrangements for supply of COVID-19 tests
From Monday 6 November COVID-19 lateral flow devices will be available free of charge from community pharmacies for patients who are potentially eligible for COVID-19 treatments.
Oxygen safety message for patients
There are several health and safety risks associated with administering oxygen without proper clinical assessment or guidance.
BHRUT frailty virtual ward
The Frailty Virtual Ward team is currently taking referrals from within Queens or King George Hospital for patients who can benefit from an earlier discharge with Virtual Ward support.
BHRUT – ‘Not our Patient’ correspondence
BHRUT now have a dedicated mailbox for GPs to use for correspondence relating to patients that are no longer registered with you.
Optometry Referral Pathway update 20 October 2023
NHS North East London will be introducing an alternative NHS referral pathway, for patients registered with GP practices in City and Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest.
Primary care IT funding update
Info on funding for Covid laptop sim cards and Jayex.
Important information on shingles and flu programmes and vaccines in pregnancy for noting and action
Please note and act on the information given.
National supply shortages of medicines for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
The current availability of different medication is fluid as the situation continues to change.
New pathway and provider: CV-19 Therapeutics for non-hospitalised patients
Download new pathway and provider.
NHS App Guidance for GP Practices.
The document is interactive so you can navigate directly to an area of interest, and use it as a modular tool.
Primary Care Telephony Comms
The use of a cloud-based digital telephone system within general practice provides several benefits, from queue handling and call routing to call-back functionality, whilst allowing for greater integration with clinical systems.
Transforming Cancer Services team – TCST newsletter – autumn 2023
Please download the latest edition of the Transforming Cancer Services Team newsletter.
Vaccination programme: shingles and COVID-19
A new shingles vaccination technical guidance and updated Covid-19 PGD.
BHRUT – updating patient details in practice clinical systems.
When GPs and practice staff are updating patient details and demographics, please ensure this information is entered on the practice clinical system (i.e. EMIS).
Notice to GPs for Information (City and Hackney/Newham/Tower Hamlets/Waltham Forest)
A single point of access (SPoA) for optometrist referrals is shortly to go live on the 30 October. This will allow community Optometrists to refer directly to Secondary care without the need for a GP referral.
Registration Authority Newsletter – October 2023
Read the latest edition.
Reminder of referral process to Rheumatology Service at Homerton Hospital
A reminder that referrals to the Homerton Rheumatology Service is via the advice and refer option only on e-RS from Tuesday 24 October 2023.
4-11 year old MMR/polio catch up clinics during autumn 2023 half term
Details of Vaccination UK NEL flu and MMR catch-up clinic dates and locations for the autumn 2023 school half term.
BHR – Age UK Redbridge, Barking & Havering nail cutting clinic
Many older people find it hard to cut their own toenails. This can lead to a risk of foot problems as well as being uncomfortable. Residents aged 50+ can now have their nails trimmed at the clinic operating from their premises in Ilford.
BCG vaccination within 28 days of birth
Eligible babies should receive their BCG vaccination by 28 days old
National Survey on NHS App and proxy access
The NHS App is the team responsible for proxy access for parents to their children’s GP services are currently undertaking a round of user research to help build and improve proxy services.
Find the right NHS care campaign – winter 2023
NHS North East London is running a communications campaign to help encourage residents to access the right NHS services over the winter period.
Covid-19 treatments and referrals
Positive patients can self refer to the NEL CDMU for treatment
New training to improve access to services for people experiencing multiple disadvantage and co-occurring conditions
New free training course designed to improve health and social care services for people facing multiple disadvantage.
Want to save money on electric vehicle chargepoints?
Information on grants available from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles.
Asylum Seekers in Contingency Accommodation – Diphtheria enhanced surveillance study
Asylum Seekers in Contingency Accommodation – Diphtheria enhanced surveillance study
Type 1 diabetes peer support tool
Peer support, alongside other support, helps people learn to live with their condition, giving them the confidence, knowledge and support required to manage the complexities of living with a long-term condition.
BHRUT: New non-emergency patient transport service
New service goes live on Sunday 1 October 2023
Access to medication for end of life care from community pharmacies (spreadsheet updated)
Please note that the contact details spreadsheet has now been updated please discard any list that may have been downloaded.
Antenatal vaccinations during the autumn vaccine programme
To ensure as many people as possible are vaccinated by the end of October, our letter asks that vaccinations for flu, COVID-19 and pertussis are offered at the same time.
GP Improvement Programme – Intermediate support offer to help practices implement ‘modern general practice’.
Please note that there are still opportunities for practices to benefit from the GP Improvement Programme Intermediate Support Offer later this year.
Winter vaccinations communications materials
Please find the NEL Covid-19 and flu communications toolkit and links to materials.
Change to Newham foot health service
From 29 September, the Newham Foot Health service will no longer be operating from its Stratford base in Ferns Road. Going forward, the service will be provided from its two other sites.
COVID-19 testing policy update – changes to order and supply
The ordering and supply of Lateral Flow Devices, will transition from UK Health Security Agency o NHS England.
Ensuring blood and organ donation decisions are recorded
For practices using an old patient registration form, it is important not to include questions about blood and organ donation preferences in it.
Launching 2023 NEL Primary care workforce awards
In collaboration across the NEL ICS Primary care team and NEL training hubs we extend a warm invitation for your participation in the NEL Primary Care Workforce Awards 2023.
Primary care professionals in north east London shortlisted for the General Practice Awards
The General Practice Awards recognises the hard work of GPs, nurses, pharmacists, practice managers and professionals who are making real change to their local area. This year, north east London has been shortlisted in an impressive five categories.
QOF Cholesterol Control and Lipid Management guidance
Practices should be aware: At the point data is collected to assess QOF achievement, patients will need to have a prescription for a statin/lipid lowering therapy on their records (CHOL001) and have a non-HDLC or LDLC reading at or below targets within the 12-month QOF Period (CHOL002).
Sexual safety in healthcare – organisational charter
While individual employers need to have measures in place for staff to report their experiences and ensure that support is available, NHSE are also taking action with partners nationally to ensure the NHS is a safe environment for all patients and staff.
UKHSA – Urgent public health message – outbreak of food botulism in France involving a number of British nationals
The outbreak has been linked to consumption of home-prepared sardines served by a restaurant in Bordeaux, France.
BHRUT – Advice and guidance telephone line for Neurology reminder
The advice and guidance service is provided by a Registrar and supervised by a Consultant. This daily line will be in addition to the 24/7 on call consultant via switchboard.
BHRUT – Royal College of Pathologists – Simple laboratory user survey
The core of the survey is just one screen of simple questions with tick-box answers. It is designed primarily to deliver a numeric Key Performance Indicator to assist commissioners and others to judge the quality of their service, and how it changes over time.
bite-sized’ health and social care staff online diabetes training
Based on feedback from diabetes health care professionals we are offering free, ‘bite-sized’ health and social care staff online diabetes training which can be accessed at any time.
RAAC and the primary care estate
Privately owned primary care estate is not part of the national programme. NHSE has issued RAAC guidance to private landlords.
Important Safety Notice: Access to medication for end of life care from community pharmacies
We want to ensure that patients at the end of life are able to access the right end of life care (EoLC) medication when they need it.
Request for information from practices not delivering the COVID-19 vaccination programme
Practices that are not delivering the COVID-19 vaccination service under the current enhanced service specification are reminded to share lists of eligible patients with their local commissioner.
Updated PGD for Smallpox v03.00
NHS England and NHS Improvement London Region has published an updated PGD on its website.
Shingles vaccination programme toolkit for GPs
A toolkit that NHSE has created that details the changes coming in and other relevant information and materials, to encourage high uptake of eligible patients.
Legionella cases in Westminster
Urgent environmental investigations are in progress to identify a potential source. In addition, it is important that any other cases are identified, treated and reported promptly.
Innovation to increase equality in MMR campaigns
View a recording of this webinar.
Shaping end of life and palliative care across north east London
Please share this information on your practice website, with your staff and patients in your borough.
Guidance on GP direct access to cancer diagnostic services
GP teams across England can ‘directly request CT scans, ultrasounds, or brain MRIs’ for patients with ‘concerning symptoms’.
Junior Doctors and Consultants Strike at same time – September and October
Junior doctors and consultants in England will jointly undertake four days of strike action in September and October. For the first time in the history of the NHS, there will be four days in which junior doctors and consultants coordinate industrial action. This is in addition to other days on which just juniors or just consultants will be on strike.
Junior doctors will strike on 20, 21, 22 September, and 2, 3, 4 October. Consultants will strike on 19 and 20 September and 2, 3 and 4 October.
Industrial action by junior doctors from 11 – 15 August saw 61,200 rescheduled acute inpatient and outpatient appointments and procedures in England.
The number of staff absent from work due to strikes peaked on 11 August with 23,682. The cumulative total of acute rescheduled inpatient and outpatient appointments and procedures over eight months of industrial action across the NHS now stands at 839,327.
As a system we have put in additional capacity to support front door, emergency care, GP hubs, and community services working with our partners.
We are aware of the sustained additional daily demands that are made upon general practice and that this is likely to be exacerbated by the further industrial action.
We would like to take the opportunity to reiterate the following points to use as a guide to help with your local planning.
As you do throughout the year, report by exception to your local primary care team any practice issues which may impact your ability to run as normal e.g. workforce issues such as sickness.
Continue to make your 111 slots available ensuring there is late morning and afternoon utilisation.
Prioritise calls coming from paramedics when they are on site with patients (or the cover in place for that day).
Checking on care homes and home care providers and proactively managing high risk patients on the days leading up to and after the strike action time.
Supporting same day access by making available any un-utilised appointments within your Enhanced Access sites (which are ordinarily used for routine care).
Please be aware / inform your teams of possible additional request for home visits from patients.
Please encourage your teams to use appropriate pathways when emergency care is needed to improve our patients experience if possible.
Aim to switch as many appointments as possible to “Book on the day” (this needs to be done in advance)
Your actions so far have had an impact in mitigating the risks from strike days. We also appreciate the significant impact these added pressures have had on you and your teams so please let us know if there is anything else we can do to support you.
We will update about the upcoming strike days in the coming weeks.
Update to requirement for recording of flu vaccination events by PCN groupings
A PCN grouping’s constituent practices will now be able to elect to record flu only vaccination events in either their GP IT clinical system or their PCN grouping’s point of care system
Aquatic Activity and Swimming for Health programme
New session promotes health benefits of aquatics and swimming.
Updated PGD for HPV GBMSM v04.00a
Practices should ensure that any registered healthcare professional who is due to administer vaccinations under this PGD should be made aware of this updated version.
NHS App – Resources to support increased usage
A range of resources have been developed to support practices increase patient uptake of the NHS App for repeat prescriptions, including posters, leaflets, patient videos, sms campaigns, process change ideas, how to track usage.
BHRUT – Coffee, Cancer and Conversation meet-up
An informal chat with an advanced care planning nurse.
EPRR annual conference – 30 October
This year’s conference will hold an overarching theme of the lessons and learning.
UCL Partners CVD Academy
UCL Partners launches CVD Academy to tackle premature deaths related to cardiovascular disease
Aspiring to Partnership Programme
LMCs have developed a brand-new and exciting course for those who are aspiring to, or new to becoming a partner in general practice
Update on multidisciplinary rapid access clinic at Barts Health
Barts apologise for pausing the Multidisciplinary Rapid Access Clinic (MDRAC) service at very short notice on 18 August and now have more details.
Winter vaccinations system update
The winter Covid-19 vaccination campaign is being brought forward
BHRUT: Suspected Cancer Pathway (2ww) for Breast referrals is moving to Directly Bookable on e-RS
From 1 September 2023 the process for Breast Suspected Cancer referrals (2ww) will change and become directly bookable on e-RS.
Flu and COVID Sign Up deadlines
We would like to remind all colleagues of the following important deadlines over the next week.
NHS England – London has published an updated imms PGD on its website.
Practices should ensure that any registered healthcare professional who is due to administer vaccinations under this PGD should be made aware of this updated version.
Moorfields at Stratford – Update
A new comprehensive diagnostic and treatment eye care hub in Stratford has been opened. All ophthalmology services and patients previously hosted at the Sir Ludwig Guttman site have been transferred to the new Moorfields at Stratford site
Patient choice
Enabling greater patient choice will require the NHS to respond in a number of ways, and the following sections outline the actions and activities within Primary Care, Secondary Care and ICBs.
Patient Access To Medical Records – Webinar (4 Sept / 3 Oct)
A webinar session which will look at the current process to allow practices to comply with their contractual requirements.
Bart’s Multidisciplinary Rapid Access Clinic (MDRAC) to pause for 3 months
Due to unexpected severe staff shortages the Bart’s Multidisciplinary Rapid Access Clinic, which is also known as the Rapid Diagnostic Centre RDC and Non Site Specific NSS Cancer pathway, is being paused from Friday 18 August 2023 and will not be able to accept any new USC referrals.
NELFT – misplaced clinician mobile
There is an issue with the lead clinician referral mobile for the Community Treatment Team – the phone has been lost. They have a temporary number 07718 271 613.
BHRUT – Important update for GPs on dermatology
BHRUT would like to advise GPs that patients being referred will have to wait longer than 14 days to be seen for their first appointment.
Modernising cancer waiting time standards
The NHS has issued communications today to announce that they are modernising cancer waiting time standards
NEL Diabetes Workforce Education Programme
Diabetes is the fastest growing chronic health condition and equipping our workforce with the right skills and training has never been more crucial.
Staff leavers guidance: IT and Smartcard process
A reminder that practice managers should complete the GP IT leavers form and email it to the NHS North East London IT team at least three working days before a staff member’s leaving day.
NEL Long COVID 2023/24 Training Schedule for Health and Care Professionals
A dedicated online hub of resources and training for all health and care professionals working with long COVID patients in North East London.
Register with a GP surgery service, Practice webinar – 20 Sept 4.30pm – 5.30pm
NHSE are running a webinar for practice staff to learn about the benefits of the service.
COVID-19 Therapeutics for Non-Hospitalised Patients – New Pathways and Providers
Since July this year, the new provider been the Waltham Forest GP FedNet, the main referral pathway has also changed from automated identification after a positive LFT or PCR test result to self-referral.
Delivering operational resilience across the NHS this winter
Setting out the national approach to 2023/24 winter planning, and the key steps we must take together across all parts of the system to meet the challenges ahead.
London Region Health Protection Team contact number is changing
Please note that from Wednesday 30 August the London Region Health Protection Team telephone number will be changing to: 0300 […]
New national online GP registration service used by 1 in 5 practices
All NEL GP Practices have access to registering patients via the NEL Online Registration portal and are encouraged to use this standard process for registering patients and to link this process to their websites.
Becoming an Anti-Racist health & care system: an introductory workshop (Sept and Oct)
The aim is to create an inclusive culture that supports every member of staff to do their best work and thrive.
BHRUT – Gynaecology GP educational session – 16 September 2023
This event is part of the BHRUT series of monthly GP education events which is held the third Saturday of every month (excluding August).
BHR CEPN Primary Care Bulletin – 2 August 2023
Within the latest CPEN news letter your find details of a new training programmes
Webinar – Innovation to promote equality in MMR campaigns Monday 21 August, 5pm to 6.30pm
This webinar will share innovative practice to increase equality of access in MMR catch-up campaigns, including lessons from the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and opportunities to make every contact count.
Constipation in people with a learning disability
To help prevent, recognise and treat constipation in people with a learning disability.
Junior Doctors and Consultants strike (August 2023)
The British Medical Association has announced that junior doctors will take part in strike action for five days from 7am on Friday 11 August until 06.59am on Tuesday 15 August and hospital consultants will be striking on 24 and 25 August 2023.
Be Body Positive tool
Be Body Positive is an essential tool for young people, parents, carers, and professionals.
Wait well, Stay well site for patients
NHS NEL has recently launched a website for NHS patients, to help them manage their health and wellbeing, called ‘Wait well, Stay well.’
Resources to support the Data Accreditation and Improvement Incentive Scheme
The Clinical Effectiveness Group (CEG) at Queen Mary University of London has released a webinar recording and fact file to help you start work on Phase 1 of the scheme.
Havering Crest PCN celebrates first successful community health fair
Havering Crest PCN, with support from the ICB’s Communications and Engagement team, hosted their first community health fair aimed at bringing health and care services to local people in Havering.
Primary Care Antenatal Care – Important Information for Primary and Secondary Care providers
The Health and Safety Board have recently investigated a number of antenatal care cases which involved a potential key risk associated with the primary care-maternity care interface.
Havering – Experiences with Long COVID – residents and primary care professionals
LBH invite primary care professionals working in Havering to complete the survey.
Supporting patients with a learning disability and autistic people
NHSE has produced a clinical guide for frontline staff that sets out responsibilities to ensure that people with a learning disability and autistic people receive good care.
BHR – Simple Wound Care – updated site information
There have been changes to the available sites in the Simple Wound Care pilot.
NHS North East London GP and practice staff bulletin: 26 May 2023
Primary care updatesfor GPs in north east London NHS North East London GP and practice staff bulletin: 26 May 2023 […]
GP Practice and Staff Bulletin 19th May 2023
Primary care updatesfor GPs in north east London NHS North East London GP and practice staff bulletin: 19 May 2023 […]
Industrial Action – Primary Care comms
Circulation List: NEL GP Practices, NEL Place Based Primary Care Leads & NEL Primary Care Central Team On behalf of NHS […]
Streptococcus A
Dear colleagues, Please see below for the most up-to-date key information in managing Streptococcus A. This includes an update to […]
NHSE/UKHSA guidance : Group A steptococcus comms to clinicians
Dear Colleagues Please find the NHSE/UKHSA guidance on Streptococcus Group A for clinicians. NHS England » Group A streptococcus communications […]
Information Messages: SPS Using solid oral dosage form antibiotics in children
Dear Colleagues, The SPS Medicines Supply Tool offers up-to-date information on Medicines Shortages and salient medicines information. They have updated […]
Patient Safety Information: Home Enteral Feeding Prescriptions
Dear Colleagues, Please see attached important Patient Safety Information regarding delays in sending prescriptions to Fresenius Kabi Homecare (FK) for […]
Tower Hamlets – Single Point Of Access for Musculoskeletal Conditions Update
Dear Tower Hamlet GP practices, Thank you for all your efforts to make the change over to referrals via eRS […]