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New Resource!!!
WWW.DEVONPRIMARYCARE.COM
We would like to alert you to a new website - www.devonprimarycare.com - which has been specifically developed to capture essential, up-to-date local and national Covid-19 guidelines and importantly bring them altogether in one place that would be easily accessible and able to be used whilst dealing with Covid issues when working at home, remotely on visits or working out of hours.
This is a Devon-wide resource for all clinicians in Primary Care.
Everyone can access this for free without a login and can use it working in their base practice, remotely or in the Hot Hub on PC, Laptop, smartphone or iPad.
This website has been developed by grassroots GPs aiming to bring the plethora of resource available from multiple organisations into a single point of reference which is consistent for clinicians across Devon. This has been constructed at pace within two weeks and will be constantly updated and evolved.
We have brought clinical advice and guidance regarding triage and pathways, ITU, Palliative Care, Patient information and Clinician wellbeing all in one place with links to websites that give latest local and national guidance.
It has been written by Primary Care for Primary Care. We hope you find this useful.
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New To Practice Fellowships
Dear PCNs and Practices,
As you will no doubt have heard, NHSE&I are introducing a fully funded Fellowship offer for GPs and Nurses who are new to General Practice. Devon Training Hub is co-ordinating this offer across Devon and we are pleased to be able to now provide you with details of the offer for the first tranche of these fellowships. From a PCN / Practice point of view there are 3 points for you to consider:
- If you have a GP or nurse new to general practice
If you have any GP or Nurse who is working for you who qualified since November 2018 and you are interested in them taking up one of these fully funded fellowship positions, please can you send your expression of interest giving details to andy.smallshaw@nhs.net by 30th June 2020. You will see from the document that places are limited at this moment in time, so once the closing date has passed, we will be back in touch to let you know the next steps.
- If you are looking to employ a newly qualified GP or nurse
This offer is also being circulated out HEIs and Medical Schools to allow students who are about to qualify and who are interested in working in Primary Care the opportunity to apply. We will gather their details in a database and we are therefore keen to hear from your PCN / Practice if you are looking to employ a student and we can then put you in contact with these students for your to commence your recruitment process. Obviously, the eligibility criteria for the fellowship requires participants to ‘hold, or be about to hold, a substantive salaried or partnership contract in Primary Care and must be working to provide primary medical services’ and so they will only be able to commence the fellowship once they meet these criteria.
- If you are a newly qualified GP or Nurse
If you are a newly qualified GP or Nurse, having qualified since November 2018, currently working in Primary Care and you are interested in this Fellowship offer, please contact your Practice Manager to discuss your interest and the possibility of them submitting an expression of interest as required.
Please click here to see the document that we have produced giving details of the Fellowship offer. Hopefully you will find all the information that you require on there, but if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Kind regards,
Andy
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There's still time to book!
Managing Hypertension Remotely - Online Course
To facilitate effective remote management of patients with new or existing hypertension where face to face consultation are not possible.
The Learning Outcomes:
To consider the risks associated with remote management and prescribing and discuss strategies to minimise risk.
To discuss and explore strategies and technology that can be used to enhance communication when dealing with patients remotely.
To identify credible and reliable resources for both patients and healthcare professional to promote good control of hypertension.
To decide which patients would benefit from treatment for raised blood pressure and indicate which medication from the A, D or C groups should be used.
To recognise sub-optimal control of hypertension and explore strategies to improve control.
Book Here
Please book onto the course then watch the video and then note down any questions or discussions you would like to raise with the trainer who will be available on the Zoom session on the 14th May 2020 between 13.00 and 14.00 and we will send you a follow up email with all the log in details.
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Online training videos produced by Beverley Bostock
Followed by an online forum with Beverley to discuss and ask questions
All these videos include a section which relates to COVID 19 situation
Limited places are available
This training is Free!!
To book click below:
Nuggets of Knowledge: Asthma 19th May 2020
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Online training video produced by Tricia Smith
Introduction to Immunisation updates online
During these challenging times is essential to maintain the best possible vaccine uptake to prevent an outbreak of vaccine preventable diseases. As face to face training has been suspended and series of short webinars will be available to keep all staff up to date with immunisations.
Each webinar will cover a section of the immunisation programme, so nurses can update on one area at a time. Each webinar will be given an approx. time to complete.
The first webinar Programme is: The Pneumococcal Programmes 2020.
This will include:
- Changes to pneumococcal programmes (PCV). The challenges on how to run 2 programmes alongside each other. Updated chapter in the Green Book and Patient Group Directions
- Case studies: Incorrect schedule according to DOB’s. Provide the answers and resources from PHE.
- Shortage of the PPV vaccine and change from Pneumovax II to the PPV23 vaccine. Guidance on priority groups
This will be followed up with an online session on the 22nd May 2020 through Zoom between 13.00 and 14.00 and we will send you a follow up email with all the log in details.
Please book onto the course then watch the video and then note down any questions or discussions you would like to raise with the trainer who will be available on the Zoom session on the 22nd May 2020
This training is for Practice Nurses only. If you have any questions please contact the team at devon.traininghub@nhs.net
This training is Free!!
Book Here
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Preceptorships and Online Training Forums
Tracey O'Keeffe has been mapping out the Preceptorship sessions for the next few weeks. Our trainers are working hard to present their courses in a virtual format which also allows everyone to get involved, just like in the classroom!
Our first Preceptorship Online Forum is on Friday 15 May 2020.
Cohort 3 - Blood Results: interpretation, significance and management of the individual.
Preceptees please contact devon.traininghub@nhs.net if you have not already booked a place on this course.
The Devon Training Hub Team has been spending time learning about virtual education, how it works, what works best and how to ensure people are engaged in the process. We are really enjoying presenting courses in an innovative way and we hope all our delegates are enjoying them too!
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#lookingafteryoutoo
Frontline primary care colleagues involved in the delivery of Primary Care services, both clinical and non-clinical, are facing unprecedented challenges through Covid-19. We are keen to ensure all staff delivering frontline primary care services feel supported to maintain their psychological wellbeing during this time, enabling them to maintain the delivery of frontline primary care.
Individual coaching support is available with a highly skilled and experienced coach. This will be a space for you to offload the demands of whatever you are experiencing and be supported in developing practical strategies for dealing with this. It might be that through a one-off conversation you have all the strategies you need to cope with your situation and stay well. Or you might find a few sessions helpful. It is all led by you.
Who is it for?
All staff working in the delivery of Primary care Services. You will be either employed by the NHS or working with and NHS funded employer delivering an NHS funded Primary Care contract.
How does it work?
You can register and book a coaching session via the link below. Sessions are available 07:15 – 22:00 and the first session will last up to 45 minutes. The sessions will be delivered virtually, preferably via a video platform, but telephone appointments are also available. Subsequent sessions will be dependent on the conversation between you and your coach. Your coach might signpost you on to further support if they think this might be helpful. You may receive follow-up emails to support you in maintaining your wellness once your coaching sessions have finished.
What happens to my information?
The Institute for Employment Studies has been commissioned to conduct an evaluation of this work. All data collected will be anonymised and aggregated so that individual respondents cannot be identified. Participation in evaluation activities is voluntary and will not affect the level of support you receive. This service is run by a consortium of partners, please see the LookingAfterYouToo service-specific privacy policy for more details about what happens to your data and how you can help us research and evaluate this offer.
Register and book a coaching session
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Reminder!!!
Student Nurses during the Covid-19 Pandemic
As you may be aware, nursing students have been given the opportunity to opt-in to a paid placement as part of their training in order to help manage the current Covid-19 crisis and also to ensure they continue learning. We are aware that some are interested in coming out into Primary Care as this will be their long-term employment choice.
If you would be interested to hear more about how to get your Practice involved in this, please contact Tracey O'Keeffe (t.okeeffe@nhs.net) for more information.
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FAQ for primary care (including Medicines Optimisation)
Frequently Asked Questions are updated most days and shared here, with questions that are raised on the primary care webinar and received in to the primary care mailbox. Topics include patient care, shielded patients, PPE, staffing, IT and finance.
The Medicines Optimisation team has a TeamNet page for latest information. Any questions for them should be raised via Medicines Optimisation Control Centre inbox.
Clarification: primary care and community support for care home residents
Following on from the information provided in Monday's bulletin, further clarity in relation to the letter from NHS England on primary care and community health to support care home residents is provided.
NHS England are requesting primary care and community health services help, by building on what practices are already doing, to support care homes. To deliver this support, the CCG will support individual practices and community health services teams to organise themselves according to their local areas or networks, with existing Primary Care Network (PCNs) being the default.
Where there are additional costs for practices, which cannot be met from their existing resources, these may be eligible for reimbursement which will be managed through the CCG on the basis on of national guidance.
Link for Friday's primary care webinar
The weekly primary care webinar for GP practices will take place this Friday 8 May 12.00pm-1.00pm and the link to join is available here. More details about guest presenters for this week and the agenda will be shared in tomorrow's bulletin.
Graphics: how to access primary care on bank holiday
NHS England have produced three graphics for use on social media to explain how to access GP, pharmacy and dental services over the bank holiday, this Friday 8 May. These are available to download and use locally. Practices may wish to publish on their websites.
COVID-19 verification of death in times of emergency
This guidance clarifies existing practice for verifying deaths outside of hospitals and provides a framework for safe verification of death during the coronavirus emergency. It’s for all cases outside hospital when verification of death may be completed by people who have been trained to do so in line with their employer’s policies, including medical practitioners, registered nurses or paramedics.
Prescribing information for symptom management via syringe driver for patients with COVID-19 at end of life
Local concise prescribing guidance has been produced to support practitioners in the care of patients in the community who require medicines for symptom management of COVID-19 via syringe drivers as they approach end of life.
The guidance draws upon national documents to provide specific guidance for primary care on the use of end of life drugs administered via a syringe driver in the doses and combinations commonly anticipated to be used. It has had input from palliative care specialists, and support from NHS Devon CCG medicines optimisation and clinical effectiveness teams. The guidance includes when and how to seek specialist support.
A list of pharmacies commissioned to carry a minimum stock of specialist medicines, including drugs used in palliative care, can be found here.
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An update on shielding patients for general practice
Shielded Patient Update (referenced from NHS England's Primary Care Bulletin - 5 May)
The latest update of the Shielded Patient List (from NHS Digital GP Extraction Service), identified a small number of patients who will be advised to shield via a centrally generated letter and text message. All centrally generated letters are addressed from the patient’s registered practice in order to signpost the patient to local support. Flags will be added to the GP records for these patients, along with patients identified by hospital clinicians, this week. These actions should be complete by Thursday 7 May.
Any patients identified by GP Practices before the 28 April should now be recognised by the Government support website. If you have not done so, please ensure that you write to these patients as soon as possible so they are aware they have been identified using the attached updated version of the letter. This contains the same information, but confirms that the Government is currently advising people who are clinically extremely vulnerable to shield until 30 June irrespective of when they were identified, subject to ongoing review. The original letter stated a period of “at least 12 weeks” from the date of the letter.
A useful Summary of support offers available to those shielding and other vulnerable groups is available to download.
Local update on the Shielded Patient List (SPL)
The SPL comprises patients identified using national administrative datasets and patients identified by hospitals or general practice and flagged as high risk. For further information on methodology click here.
The CCG has recently become aware of some delays and inconsistencies in the processes that update the SPL, including the updates to GP Practice clinical systems. Therefore to support general practice and to ensure patients are offered the support they require to shield in a timely manner, our four acute hospitals in Devon have agreed to share the lists that they have uploaded to the central Shielded Patients List with the CCG for onward dissemination to GP practices.
These lists are now available on the CCG’s Commissioning Intelligence website. Navigate to PATIENT LEVEL DATA / SHIELDED PATIENTS LIST. Depending on the update to GP systems and the date the lists were uploaded, some patients on the list will already be on your Shielded Patients List report. For practices that have any access queries about the Commissioning Intelligence website, contact systems.newdevonccg@nhs.net
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REMINDER
NEW VIDEO GROUP CONSULTATION TRAINING
FREE
Would your practice like to participate in this programme to support you to introduce video group clinics (VGCs)?
Here is some info and details of how to sign up for training for you and your team.
Sentinel practices (not to be confused with Sentinel CIC in Plymouth) will be first to run VGCs. They will get some additional support from The Experience Led Care Programme and our digital support partner Redmoor Health to help them to get set up and make accelerated progress with VGCs.
In return, Sentinel practices will:
- Help identify priority VGC models that save time and create capacity linked to managing the primary care COVID 19 caseload and more widely;
- Share what is working well and can be improved about the technology and platforms you are running video group clinics on;
- Share what is working well and can be improved about the practicing this way;
- Flag areas where you need us as a support team to help you find solutions and improvements that will accelerate progress.
VGCs are expected to realise the same benefits in the virtual world that group consultations deliver in the real world, namely:
- Clinician time efficiencies compared to 1:1
- Creating community connection
- Improving clinician and patient experience compared to 1:1
- At a time where many clinicians are self-isolating, VGCs will also help you make the most of clinicians and other support staff who are still able to work remotely.
Technical capability
Our digital partner is Redmoor Health. The team will advise you and ensure that you have the technology to run video group clinics. Our recommendation is Microsoft Teams. Redmoor will advise you how to get this switched on if you do not have access just now. Contact Redmoor for advice at: hello@redmoorhealth.co.uk
Preparing your workforce to deliver VGCs
The practice delivery team for VGCs includes:
- Clinicians: like in real world group consultations, the 'clinician' is only present half the time (social prescribing link workers may also use VGCs to monitor sheltered people - in this context, they may only be present for part of the VGC)
- Technical facilitators: because of the challenges of getting patients up and running with video technology, the facilitator in a VGC has an additional role - as well as supporting patients to prepare questions for the clinician and to reflect on next steps after the clinician leaves, the facilitator in VGCs has to make sure patients are set up and ready to participate using their technology. This is why we have called them 'technical facilitators'. The people who take on this role do not have to be based in the practice. They do need skills in supporting people to get to grips with simple IT and also good people skills. It may be possible to use NHS volunteers, as well as practice and other out of hospital non clinical support staff
- Clinic co-ordinators: this way of working will require administrative support so having people within your admin team who understand this change will be key. Those who provide admin support may also be facilitators.
Training in delivering VGCs
We recommend that all staff (clinicians, technical facilitators and administrators) to be involved attend our 2.5 hour training sessions. Practice managers may also deepen their understanding by attending (some of the sessions is devoted to planning for mobilisation) .
We are running training sessions for Sentinel teams every week from now on. From the start of May, training will be available daily.
People only need to attend one training session.
To sign up for these 2.5 hour training sessions,
Go to www.events.england.nhs.uk
Enter “VGC” or “Sentinel” in the search box.
Book on your chosen training session (you will need to click “buy” even though the sessions are free to attend)
You will be sent a joining instructions email with the link to join your chosen session. If you are attending training, you will receive documents with the link that you will need to print off and have with you at the training
Deciding your focus patient group
Early VGC work within the national programme is likely to centre on proactively supporting those at high risk, including sheltered people and those living with COVID and LTCs. Where capacity allows now and as we start to move towards recovery, VGCs will also provide a very efficient way of catching up with planned reviews.
When you sign up for this programme, we will ask you to identify at least two VGC models that you want to test. There is lots of flexibility. Speaking to clinicians, we have talked about: proactive care and support of sheltered people; 6 week baby checks; repeat prescription requests for inhalers amongst others. We just want to track these so that we can touch base and see what learning is emerging
Evaluation
We are very lucky because the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences is going to b undertaking some independent evaluation of the move to VGCs. This will be led by Professor Trish Greenhalgh. We would be keen for you to get involved in this as an early pioneer. This may require a bit more admin, and it will reap many rewards for you as a team in terms of access to support with quality improvement.
If this is of interest, please contact
Georgina Craig
National Delivery Lead, Video Group Clinics (VGCs) Programme
Tel: 07879 480005
Email: georgina@elcworks.co.uk
If you have any questions on next steps, do let us know.
If not, we look forward to working with you and your team to get going with VGCs as part of your plan to cope with COVID 19.
Best wishes
Lucy Wood RN
Education Delivery Team Lead
Devon Training Hub
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COVID-19 - Supporting the South West
Welcome to the latest newsletter from the South West Academic Health Science Network (SW AHSN). We hope you are safe and well.
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic we are using our regular newsletter to share with you how the SW AHSN is supporting health and care teams in the South West who are working hard to respond to the crisis and protect the health of people and patients.
This month we've been actively supporting local GP practices to implement online and video consultation, promoting the spread of good COVID-19 practice, and relaunching our Innovation Adoption Fund to support communities self-isolating at home. Read on to find out more.
Our response to COVID-19
In the challenging context of COVID-19, the role of England’s 15 Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) is to support teams across NHS and social care by helping them to take full advantage of the most relevant innovations and technologies that can improve care for patients and support services. You can read more about the AHSN Network's response here.
The SW AHSN has shifted the focus of its work to help local primary care teams to support front line staff and decisions, as well as to enable the South West Patient Safety Collaborative, organised by the SW AHSN, to support the adoption of innovations for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and patients with a tracheostomy.
During this time of extreme operational pressure, we are committed to providing appropriate assistance to our local health and care partners as and when they require, and are working closely with national and regional NHS teams to align and coordinate this support. If you would like to speak to us please get in touch at info@swahsn.com.
We are an organisation open to new ideas and learning, so if you have a suggestion for how we might support you to respond to the COVID-19 crisis at this time, we would welcome your thoughts.
Devon's GP practices & patients embrace new technology
Devon’s GP practices are helping the fight against COVID-19 by enabling patients to consult their doctor without leaving the house, either online, over the telephone or through video.
Before the outbreak of COVID-19, Devon was among the leading areas in the country for online consultation usage. Now the county has seen an even bigger increase in GP practices using online platforms to allow their patients to access services from their smartphone, tablet or computer.
The SW AHSN has been deploying members of its team to support practices who weren't offering online consultations, as well as supporting practices across Somerset, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, to implement online and video consultation tools. Learn more.
Do you have a potential COVID-19 solution?
All AHSNs within the AHSN Network are actively supporting the
NHS and social care system to respond to the COVID-19 epidemic.
If you would like advice on immediate or future needs, and how best to present your offer to local and/or national commissioners, please contact the SW AHSN's Innovation Exchange team (innovation@swahsn.com).
The government has provided national guidance on where to register products, including personal protective equipment (PPE), vaccines and ventilators to support the COVID-19 response. Please find these details on the AHSN Network website.
https://www.swahsn.com/
The SW AHSN has relaunched a fund to focus on supporting rapid adoption of innovation to help self-isolating adults, their carers and families.
Our repurposed Innovation Adoption Fund is offering grants of up to £6,000 to local voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs), health and care teams, and small businesses across Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to support faster adoption of ready-to-use technology, services and interventions that can support vulnerable people, the elderly or those self-isolating at home.
If you are an innovator with a COVID-19 solution for the vulnerable, elderly or self-isolating that is ready for spread, or an adopter looking to implement innovation to support these groups, learn more and apply now.
Help us to spread COVID-19 learning to the
wider health and care community
In response to COVID-19, people are adapting usual practice, adopting new approaches and being highly inventive. The SW AHSN is working quickly to gather this learning to share with the wider health and care community.
Perhaps you or your team are experiencing an innovative way of working in response to COVID-19, or maybe you’ve spotted a response elsewhere that is working well. Either way, we are keen to hear your stories.
Please take part in our easy five-minute survey to capture what you’ve seen,
what’s working well and why - and help us to collate practical learning to benefit our hardworking partners in health and care. Click here to take part.
Join the conversation
Stay up-to-date with what the SW AHSN and the
AHSN Network are doing in response to the
COVID-19 epidemic by following us on Twitter.
@sw_ahsn
@AHSNNetwork
Thank you
May we take this opportunity to thank those of you working tirelessly across and behind front lines in the NHS and social care to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and protect the health and wellbeing of people and patients.
We stand beside you.
South West Academic Health Science Network
Vantage Point, Pynes Hill, Exeter, EX2 5FD
Telephone: 01392 247903 | Email: info@swahsn.com
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Diabetes and COVID-19 - Free Webinar
You are warmly invited to attend a webinar on Tuesday 12th May at 13:00 discussing the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes in the context of COVID-19 pandemic, coordinated by the Boehringer Ingelheim & Lilly Diabetes Alliance.
The 45 minute session will be led by Dr Kevin Fernando (GPwSI Diabetes and Medical Education, North Berwick Scottish Lead, Primary Care Diabetes Society) and Dr Patrick Holmes (GPwSI at County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, Primary Care Diabetes Society).
Objectives:
⦁ Discuss key clinical care considerations in patients with type 2 diabetes and common comorbidities amid the current COVID-19 outbreak, including the management of emotional and psychological well being
⦁ Reiterate the importance of sick-day management rules for patients with type 2 diabetes
⦁ Optimise remote clinical care of patients with type 2 diabetes
A 15 minute Question and Answer session has been planned to address any clinical questions you may have for speakers.
The webinar will be conducted using the web-based platform Zoom. Please find the details below to register for this webinar.
We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday for an informative and patient centred discussion.
With best regards
Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly Diabetes Alliance
(By clicking on the MHRA and EMC links below you will be directed to non Boehringer Ingelheim websites.)
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Happy to help.
If you need any help with the website, courses which have not been advertised or just want some advice please do not hesitate to contact a member of the team. We look forward to speaking with you. Best Wishes
Lucy,Julie, Tracey, Kathy, Summer, Vix, Andy and Paddy
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7th May 2020 - Newsletter
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