Important information for GP practices across Kent and Medway
Thursday, 2 September 2021
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Covid vaccination programme
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Third dose for severely immunosuppressed
The JCVI confirmed new guidance yesterday that a third dose should be offered to people aged over 12 who were severely immunosuppressed at the time of their first or second dose, including those with leukaemia, advanced HIV and recent organ transplants.
These people may not mount a full response to vaccination and so may be less protected than the wider population. This offer is separate to any potential booster programme. Full details on Gov.uk website.
NHS England has circulated more guidance on this directly to practices this afternoon.
JCVI guidance on a potential booster programme for other cohorts and wider vaccination of 12 to 15-year-olds is expected shortly.
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Walk-in and pop-up vaccination clinics
Please remember to let us know through SVOC of any walk-ins or pop-ups you are organising in your patch so we can load them to the CCG's website and the national grabajab website.
This week, we have also used this information to send out intelligence, gathered by our Communications Team, about anti-vaxers who said they were gong to a walk-in clinic. We also have to report on how many clinics are happening across the patch to NHSE.
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Maintaining the cold chain for immunisations
As you are aware, it’s extremely important to protect the cold chain for the storage of vaccines. Breaches of cold chain storage can lead to wastage and delays in patients being vaccinated.
Please make sure:
- fridges are checked and temperatures recorded at least once and preferably twice-a-day
- fridges are reset each time the temperature is recorded and thermometers regularly calibrated
- fridges are fitted with an integral thermometer, as well as a data logger with available software to download the data (thermometer should be able to give max/min/current readings)
- stock is regularly rotated to minimise vaccines reaching their expiry date before use. Expiry dates should be regularly checked and records maintained
- where possible, small orders of vaccine are regularly made to reduce wastage
- sufficient staff are trained to carry out fridge checks so there is adequate cover in the case of absence
- fridge doors are checked and kept closed, especially during busy clinics and at the end of the day
- fridges should be situated away from direct heat sources
- practical steps have been taken to prevent fridges being unplugged or switched off in error, such as being hardwired into the socket
- reception staff are aware of the need to refrigerate vaccine deliveries immediately
- staff are aware that a stock incident should be completed on ImmForm only if any vaccines are deemed to be unstable by the vaccine manufacturer and the practice is advised to dispose of them. Stock incident forms on ImmForm are for recording lost doses of vaccine, not for reporting cold chain incidents.
Public Health England’s Screening and Immunisations Team (SIT) should always be informed of a cold chain breach as soon as possible by emailing phst@nhs.net. They must be contacted before any vaccines are destroyed.
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Clinical advice and support
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Kent and Medway protected learning events
NHS Kent and Medway CCG and the training hubs are committed to maintaining protected learning time events as an opportunity for education and promoting staff wellbeing. Further to the communication from the training hubs yesterday, a further message will be issued to practices tomorrow.
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Abdominal and urological cancer campaign
NHS England and NHS Improvement, with support from Public Health England, has launched the Cancer: Abdominal and urological symptoms phase of the Help us, help you campaign.
The campaign highlights that if patients have had discomfort or diarrhoea for three weeks or more or seen blood in their pee – even just once, it could be a sign of cancer and that anyone with any of these symptoms should contact their GP practice.
Patients are advised to visit nhs.uk/cancersymptoms for further information.
A range of assets for GPs, including posters and digital screens for waiting areas, are available on the PHE Campaign Resource Centre. PHE Campaign Resource Centre.
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Acute oncology lunch and learn
Acute oncology ensures cancer patients who develop acute cancer-related or cancer treatment-related problems receive the care they need quickly and in the most appropriate setting.
During this lunch and learn on Tuesday, 21 September (1 to 2pm), we will explore some of the presentations associated with acute oncology and how to recognise and escalate patients with urgent symptoms. We will also look at services across Kent and Medway and how to access them.
The information will be delivered by Acute Oncology Matron Tracey Spencer Brown and Consultant Oncologist Dr Afroditi Karathanasi, supported by the Kent and Medway Macmillan GPs.
The session is one hour and delivered via MS Teams. To book your place, please register via the Eventbrite link here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/166941986977
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Kate at kateregan@nhs.net or 07392 317733
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Blood test tube shortages
As a reminder to information provided earlier this week, the NHS England guidance is that the shortage of Becton Dickinson tubes means all NHS services must limit their use of all brands of tubes to conserve stocks for urgent tests. The shortage is expected to last for at least another two weeks.
Advice from NHS England is: “While Becton Dickinson has confirmed it will provide additional blood tube supplies, the stock must first be delivered and then go through the appropriate safety checks before the NHS is able to put them to use in patient care.
“Therefore, as we continue to face a constrained supply, it is vital GPs, hospitals and trusts continue to follow the guidance until further advised to reduce the number of tests carried out and prioritise patients with the most urgent need.”
The NHS England guidance letter on which tests should be rescheduled is here.
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Primary care network estates' workshops
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NHS England and NHS Improvement have commissioned PCC to deliver a series of workshops for primary care network (PCN) leads and primary care commissioners responsible for GP premises matters.
Under the PCN-directed enhanced service, networks can recruit new roles to expand the team delivering primary care, with a forecast of 26,000 additional staff working in general practice by 2024.
This means, on average, each PCN will have around 20 WTE additional team members by 2023/24. How we physically accommodate those people is becoming a key concern for PCNs.
This workshop - made up of two online sessions - will provide an update on the national programme for premises and explore the considerations to make to ensure best use of existing premises and explore opportunities for working differently moving forward.
Each workshop is made up of two online sessions and you will need to book the two sessions separately. Delegates can choose their preferred dates for each session although it is recommended that delegates join session one first, followed by session two and attend both sessions.
Book a place on session one here
Book a place on session two here.
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Developing e-hubs within primary care networks: Expressions of interest
In recognition of the pressures primary care is under, the CCG sent a proposal to primary care networks (PCNs) to support the establishment of four e-hubs, one for each ICP area, plus the lead technical adopter - Folkestone, Hythe and Rural PCN. It is an advanced digital PCN and has been testing new ways of using digital applications to share with others.
If your PCN or ICP is interested in expressing a view to take part in the pilot, please do so by emailing michelle.dore@nhs.net by no later than Wednesday, 8 September. We will then ask you to submit a template with your proposal about developing an e-hub.
We expect to engage with you during the process to help provide support, discussion of the options and use of up to £50,000 in resources.
A panel of Kent and Medway stakeholders will then consider the best PCN proposals for an e-hub in your area.
All things being well, our expectation is to choose four e-Hubs by 1 October so you can mobilise for winter. The CCG will provide digital technical support and business case support for your business cases to be completed by 31 March 2022.
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Planned change to CSU services
From 1 November, North East London Commissioning Support Unit (NEL CSU) services are undergoing some changes and will be divided into those provided for London and those for out-of-London customers.
This includes corporate and GP IT services. The services to Kent and Medway CCG /ICS will continue to be the responsibility of Stephen Childs, Interim Managing Director of NEL CSU and Managing Director of North of England Commissioning Support, from 1 November 2021 to 31 March 2022.
During this transition period, we have been assured day-to-day services you receive will remain unchanged and you will continue to receive the same level of quality and service levels, by the local teams, which have supported Kent and Medway practices for many years.
With regard to the longer term arrangements, post April 2022, this is being worked through by the CSU and NHS England, with the CCG actively involved in these discussions to make sure service continuity is maintained throughout.
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East Kent
Ashford - community car scheme
The community car scheme, operated by Ashford Volunteer Centre, helps residents get to vital health appointments - which includes vaccinations.
The scheme is now trying to compile a list of email addresses for GP surgeries so it can keep you updated with its work and how the service can help their patients; for example, when the next round of vaccinations starts this autumn. If you are a practice in the Ashford borough and are interested, please email Beth Peal, CEO Ashford Volunteer Centre: transport@ashfordvc.org.uk
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Please share this update with colleagues who are welcome to subscribe to the mailing list.
Previous issues of the GP Practice Update are available online
If you have any feedback or ideas to make the updates more useful to you please email.
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Useful links
Produced by the Communications Team, NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group
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