Training Resources for GP practice staff.
In view of difficulties knowing what mandatory and statutory training GP practice staff should do, the British Medical Association (BMA) has produced guidance, Training resource for GP practice staff which provides an overview in the following areas:
· Mandatory and statutory training for clinical staff | · Mental capacity act and deprivation of liberty safeguards |
· Safeguarding vulnerable adults | · Safeguarding vulnerable children |
· Basic life support | · Infection control |
· Fire safety | · Health and safety |
· Manual handling | · First aid |
· CQC and GMC viewpoints |
Impact of the Governments autumn fiscal statement on Doctors
The BMA has created a briefing analysing the impact of the Government’s autumn fiscal statement on doctors. The statement details the Government’s plans for tax and public spending over the next 5 years. The main things that will impact doctors are:
- Commitment to publish a workforce plan in 2023, including independently verified forecasts for the number of doctors and other health professionals over the next 15 years – which the BMA has been campaigning for.
- GP contractors and other employers will face higher costs due to increasing staff costs (frozen employer NICs thresholds and higher minimum wages) and other costs such as energy bills.
- Changes to personal tax policy will reduce the take home pay of all workers, including doctors.
- Overall, the cost-of-living crisis and dire economic picture will increase poverty and impact health, increasing pressure on the health system.
Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism
In a previous update we reported that the NHS England Bulletin referenced ‘The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism’, as being the preferred training for NHSE and Health Education England, and that the CQC had suggested that this training was mandatory.
The Health and Care Act 2022 states that ‘Service providers ensure that each person working for the purpose of the regulated activities carried out by them receives training on learning disability and autism, which is appropriate to the person’s role’. The Code of Practice mentioned in the Act, which sets out the details of the training, has not yet been published and is not expected until April 2023.
GPC have contacted the Secretary of State to ask to input into this to ensure the requirements are appropriate and proportionate to our roles. NHS England has agreed that the McGowan training is NOT mandatory and that practices should use their judgement as to what training is appropriate to their role.
The CQC has now amended its guidance, which now clarifies that there is no specific training that is mandatory.
CQC states that training ‘provided to staff is appropriate and provides staff with knowledge about how to interact and support people with a learning disability’. There may be GPs who have already had Autism and Learning Disability training or who may decide that it is appropriate that one person from a practice or PCN is best placed to do the Oliver McGowan or other similar training. This could then be disseminated to the wider team.
General practice teams in supporting access to COVID-19 treatments
To help GP teams and reception staff deal with queries from patients on treatments for COVID-19, NHS England have produced a fact sheet which explains the pathway. This may help reception staff and will help ensure that potentially eligible patients receive an urgent triage call or review with the practice clinical team and, where appropriate, a referral to a COVID-19 medicine delivery unit.
South Yorkshire Partners Come Together To The Benefit of Mental Health Crisis Patients
Adults across South Yorkshire who need a health-based place of safety in a crisis will all receive the same consistent care and approach thanks to a collaboration between public sector organisations in South Yorkshire. Read more here.
PCSE Patient Registrations tips
Registering a gender reassignment
Patients may request to change gender on their patient record at any time and do not need to have undergone any form of gender reassignment treatment in order to do so.
It’s important that practices are aware of the steps that need to be taken when a patient changes gender. Following the process will ensure continued patient care and ensure there isn’t an impact on your practice payments.
Click here for further information on the process for registering a gender reassignment.
If you need to submit a query regarding Adoption or Gender reassignment, please use our dedicated, secure Adoptions and Gender Reassignment online form here.
Patient removals/FP69 notification
When PCSE receives notification that a letter has been returned, indicating the addressee is no longer at the address, an FP69 flag is raised on the NHAIS system. This will update the patient’s record in the GP practice’s clinical system.
Practices need to check the address directly with the patient and update the address on the clinical system or send confirmation to PCSE that the current address is correct by sending an amendment through GP links.
Please note: if the letter is returned to us as ‘moved abroad’ or ‘deceased’ the appropriate action would be taken to deduct the patient from NHAIS.
If you have any further queries about Patient Removals, please see the FAQs here. If you cannot find the answer to your query you can email the PCSE Registrations team at pcse.registrations-preston@nhs.net.
LMC Buying Group
Doncaster LMC is a member of the LMC Buying Groups Federation. This means that practices can access the discounts the Buying Group has negotiated on a wide range of products and services. If you’re not sure what the Buying Group is all about then this short video explains what they do: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FekMwFI5ILg.
By registering with the Buying Group: www.lmcbuyinggroups.co.uk/members/, you can view all the suppliers’ pricing, contact details and request quotes. The Buying Group also offers any member practice a free cost analysis which demonstrates how much money your practice could save just by swapping to buying group suppliers.
Tel: 0115 979 6910
Email: info@lmcbuyinggroups.co.uk
Website: www.lmcbuyinggroups.co.uk