EMail Alerts - Archive

Jan 09 - Jun 09

 

BMA's Pandemic flu page for GPs                                        (23/06/09)

Dear All
Please note, for your and your GPs’ information, that a pandemic flu page with information specifically aimed at GPs has now been set up on the BMA web site (accessible to members and non-members) and can be accessed via the following link:
http://www.bma.org.uk/health_promotion_ethics/influenza/panflugp/index.jsp

Best wishes
Pauline
Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager

 

GP Trainees Subcommittee Elections                                 (18/06/09)

Dear All 

Please circulate the GPC’s email below to any GP trainees in your practice. Many  thanks.

Best wishes
Pauline
Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs
Tel: 01628 475727
www.bbolmc.co.uk  

Subject: GP Trainees Subcommittee  Elections 

Dear LMC Office

Please could you pass this information about this year's GP Trainees subcommittee regional elections to any  GP trainees who you think may be interested in standing for election.

Many thanks
Joe
Joe  Read
Executive Officer
General Practitioners Committee

GP Trainees  Subcommittee - Regional Elections 2009

The GP Trainees subcommittee will be holding elections in all of its 19 regional seats  this summer.

All doctors who are / will be on a GP  Training programme at any point during the period 2 July 2009 to 30 June 2010  are eligible to stand in this election, regardless of whether or not they are a BMA member. For the avoidance of doubt, GP Trainees in hospital placements or GP practice placements are able to stand for election, as are Foundation Year doctors who will begin a GP Training programme during the above period.

Full details of the election,  including nomination forms, and introduction to the work of the subcommittee and a full list of regional constituencies, can be found on the BMA  website:

http://www.bma.org.uk/gptraineeselections

Completed nomination forms must be received in the GPC office by 5pm on Friday 3  July 2009.

Register to  vote

In regions where there is a contested  election, we can only send ballot papers to those trainees for whom the BMA has  up to date contact details. However many GP trainees have not recently updated  their contact details on the BMA website.

It is important that each GP Trainee check and update their details so that, if there is a contested election in their region, we can make sure they receive a  ballot paper.

For more information on how to update  their contact details, GP Trainees should visit the BMA  website:

http://www.bma.org.uk/gptraineeselections

Queries

If you have any questions about this election that are not covered on our website,  please contact Andrew Young in the GPC secretariat: ayoung@bma.org.uk

 

Guidance for practices on appealing against their PE7 and PE8 patient survey result                                                                 (08/06/09)

Please see attached Guidance for practices on appealing against their PE7 and PE8 patient survey result.

Understanding your PE7 and PE8 Result Statistically

GPC guidance update on the patient survey - 5 June 2009  

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
Tel: 01628 475727

 

Listing of Personal Help for Doctors                                     (08/06/09)

The attached document lists organizations, websites and documents that may be of use to GPs facing personal or professional difficulties.

It can also be found at http://www.bbolmc.co.uk/srchlp/srchlp.html

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

 

Calculator of sample size needed to achieve reliability of your patient survey result                                                                           (03/06/09)

To assess the sample size needed to  achieve reliability of your patient survey result

Please see calculator at http://www.surveyguy.com/SGcalc.htm

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

The following text from Cambridge LMC might also be helpful:

“A few facts,  informed by my work on the survey over the last three years:
Practices would  find it difficult to calculate the confidence intervals, but the PCTs have been given this information, and many have passed it on to practices. Others are  doing so on request. All this information will be published at the end of  June. 
The PCTs have for  each practice, something called the total number of forms distributed, and  received. This is slightly misleading, as the count is actually of the number of  people sent forms, and the number of people who replied. Some people will have  had more than one form as they have not replied in time to be taken out of later mailings, but these are all given a serial number and duplicate replies are  removed from the analysis.
The PCTs also have for both the PE7 and PE8 separately the Base number -  those who answered they had tried to see a GP quickly (PE7) or book ahead  (PE8)
Those who reported they were able to see a GP quickly (PE7) or book ahead (PE8)
The %  achievement
The 95% confidence interval (see below)
The theory goes  like this: for each real practice population there is a “real†proportion of  people who would report they can see a GP quickly or book ahead. The population is sampled randomly (though children excluded) and the sample size is varied between practices according to their size, age sex mix (as some groups are less  likely to reply and if they are over represented you would need more forms) and  the response rate from that particular practice last year. The number sent is  calculated so that the practice results for each specific payment question are statistically significantly close enough to the real population.
The agreement  reached was that for each practice, for each payment question, there would be a 95% chance (confidence level) that the “true†result would be within 7% (confidence interval) of the measured result.
Within the results currently with the PCT, to be published at the end of June (or available on line  for comparison with last year) the 95% confidence interval for each payment question is published. Where this is 7% or less the survey has performed as  designed, where it is more it has not.
Of course, without seeing the results, I can’t comment on how well the survey has performed  overall. Individual practices will have some idea about how accurate their  survey results are from their figures.”

Guy  Watkins
Cambs LMC

 

BBO LMC Information Roundup - May 2009                       (29/05/09)

Dear All 

Please find attached our first bi-monthly Information Roundup - we would be grateful if you could please circulate it within your practice. Thank you.

We hope you and your GPs find it of  interest and value. Comments and suggestions for improvements and/or items for  inclusion in future editions to pauline.green@bbolmc.co.uk are  welcome. 

Pauline
Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs
Tel: 01628 475727

 

Patient survey - PE7 & PE8                                                   (29/05/09)  

Practices wishing to understand more about the Patient Survey and PE7 and PE8 may find it helpful to type “Gateway Reference 11018” into Google.

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

 

Patient survey - template letter and confidentiality of data  
                                                                                                         (29/05/09)

Two important attachments that practices should read 

1. Template letter for  practices launching disputes following patient survey results.

2. Scottish GPC view that practices can discuss their results with other practices, LMCs, PCTs and/or the BMA.

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

 

GP Patient Survey - Laurence Buckman letter                (27/05/09)

Please read the attached letter from Laurence Buckman to practices on the GP Patient  Survey 

Paul Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC

 

What to do about unfairly low national patient survey results for PE7 and PE8                                                                                         (27/05/09)   

This is an important communication from your LMC

Please read what the GPC has to say about practice achievement in PE7 and PE8.

They warn about the possibility of practices with low achievement on the national patient survey, losing income because the sample size is too small.

If you think you might be in this situation then read the end of the document especially (copied  below).

It instructs you to  lodge an appeal with your PCT and describes the future help available from the GPC. 

“ If a practice feels that their results do not reflect the reality of what they offer patients then they should put in a QOF appeal to their PCO.  We will provide them with a template letter so they can be happy that the wording they use is legally watertight. This letter will be up on our website as soon as possible and will also be sent to all LMCs ”.

Paul Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC

 

PanFlu Patient numbers calculator for  practices             (19/05/09) 

Some practices might find this calculator of help in predicting their workload during a pandemic and writing their contingency plans. 

The figures in column B  come from the DOH via an Oxfordshire PCT Powerpoint slide

Because of rounding up,  the % of total cases expected in a pandemic wave (column B) autosums to 100.1  but this makes little difference. 

Paul Roblin
CEO of BBOLMC

 

Job Opportunity - LMC Medical Director; Berks, Bucks, & Oxon LMC
                                                                                                         (08/05/09)

Dear All 

Please will you remind your GPs that the closing date for receipt of applications for the part time BBOLMC Medical Director post is 15 May 2009. 

Full details of the post, and an application pack, are available on our website via the following  link:
http://www.bbolmc.co.uk/classifieds/bbomd/bbomd.html  

Thank you for your help.

Best wishes
Pauline
Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs

 

GPC’s Sessional GPs Newsletter - May 09                           (08/05/09) 

Dear All
The GPC’s latest newsletter for Sessional GPs is attached - please circulate it to your salaried and locum GPs. Thank you. 

The aim of the newsletter is to keep salaried and locum GPs up to date with the wide range of new and ongoing issues affecting them, as well as the hard work that the GPC’s Sessional GPs Subcommittee undertakes behind the scenes on their behalf. 

The newsletter will  also be available Monday on our website at www.bbolmc.co.uk

Best wishes
Pauline
Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs

 

PPE guidance for local community & GP  staff                   (05/05/09) 

TO ALLTHAMESVALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS – PLEASE  CIRCULATE

I attach the agreed text on PPE advice plus my contribution to its development. (PR version of PPE)  Although I prefer the wording and layout in the latter, I believe the official version amounts to the same  policy, but is a little less easy to read

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

-----Original  Message-----

From: Porter Tom (5QE) Oxfordshire PCT 

Subject: PPE guidance for  local community & GP staff

Please find the first version of our local summary of the current PPE guidance for front-line staff. Once we've got any immediate feedback from frontline staff on this document I'll update it and tweak the presentation a bit too, but the text has been agreed by  the PCT, LMC and HPU. 

Tom

 

Latest BBOLMC Hot Topic Emails & GPC docs                 (01/05/09) 

Dear All
For your and your GP’s information,  the following have recently been added to our website:

  • Latest Secretariat Hot Topic and Information Alert emails to practices re swine flu,  etc*
  • Latest job vacancies across the 3 counties
  • Hamish Meldrum’s letter  on Revalidation
  • GPC News - April 2009
  • GPC’s FAQs - New Complaints Procedure
  • RCGP Course information  and booking forms: “Revalidation through Lifelong Learning 12/05/09” and “Same Threat, Different Agenda - Management Course 22&23/06/09”
  • Calculator for profit  on drugs personally administered
  • Table of Practices chosen for 5% QoF visits in 2009
  • GPC’ss Freedom of  Information Act FAQs -  updated March 2009.

All the above, and more, can be  found at:www.bbolmc.co.uk  

*NB: The most  recent Hot Topic and Information Alert emails can be accessed via the red “Click  for Latest Email Alert” link on our Home Page - www.bbolmc.co.uk

Best wishes
Pauline
Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs

 

Oxon PCT Supplies of gowns or aprons to practices: what actually came in 2006 ?                                                                             (30/04/09)

The attached spreadsheet details the Flu PPE the PCT thinks it sent out to each practice in July 2006

My practice should have had:
3 boxes of surgical  masks
2 boxes of gloves
1 roll of plastic  aprons
3 FFP3 masks
3  goggles

The FFP3 masks cannot  be found and no one remembers receiving them

What is the position in  other practices?

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

 

LMC Update on Swine Flu                                                       (28/04/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE  CIRCULATE

Key  points from today

The HPA algorithm for managing possible cases has already changed several times
Please make sure you are always working to the latest version
http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1240732819361

The telephone number for the local Health Protection Unit (HPU) is 0845 279 9879

I am trying to establish how GPs are to get swabs from a patient’s home to the local laboratory.
(National  documents seem to deal solely with how local labs get the specimen to regional  labs).

In some areas, I am trying to  establish how GPs get masks, gowns/aprons and viral transport  media

There is a shortage of antiviral drugs (particularly suspension for children) in pharmacies. PCTs are mapping where stocks exist.

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

 

Your PCT response to Mexico Flu deaths and possible start of a flu pandemic                                                                                     (28/04/09)

GP Colleagues in all TV Practices

It is possible that the Flu deaths in Mexico are the start of a Flu Pandemic (in which within 3/52 we could have major problems in the UK)

Practices are advised to keep  abreast of rapidly changing advice via www.hpa.org.uk

My own practice had a possible case  admitted to the John Radcliffe over the weekend, and an East Berks GP has just  phoned me to discuss how he should handle a request for visiting a suspected case.

The clinical algorithm for managing  possible cases is at http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1240732819361

Can you all tell me how much information your PCT is giving you either by Fax or  email?

The DOH required all PCTs to cascade a bulletin by fax yesterday (Sunday)

So far only Oxon PCT has contacted LMC. I hope this does not mean that the other 4 TV PCTs are not informing practices as events develop  

Does your practice have a readily  accessible stock of masks, gowns and media for viral  swabs?

Do you realize that possible cases should have nose and throat swabs taken (involving the patient taking off their mask) 

I am meeting with the TV Pandemic  lead every day from now on. Please let me know of any practical difficulties you encounter  

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

 

Clinical algorithm for feverish illness in those returning from Mexico
                                                                                                         (28/04/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE  CIRCULATE

See http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1240732819361

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

 

Swine Flu: Mexico and USA                                                     (28/04/09) 

Please see information from Oxfordshire PCT earlier today
The best way to get up to date information is to look regularly at www.hpa.org.uk  

Our  HPA Unit is:
ThamesValley Health Protection Unit
John Eccles  House
Robert Robinson  Avenue
OxfordSciencePark
Oxford
OX4 4GP

Tel: 0845 279 9879
Fax: 0845  279 9881
Email: tvhpu@hpa.org.uk

Dr Paul Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC

 

Updated calculator for profit on drugs personally administered
                                                                                                         (24/04/09) 

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE  CIRCULATE 

Dear All
Please note, for your and your GPs’  information, that an updated calculator for profit on drugs personally administered is available on our website via the link  below: 

http://www.bbolmc.co.uk/drpersadcalc09.xls  

Best wishes
Pauline
Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs

 

Job Opportunity - LMC Medical Director; Berks, Bucks, & Oxon LMC
                                                                                                         (22/04/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE  CIRCULATE

Dear All
Please can you let your GPs know that the Secretariat is now recruiting for a part time Medical Secretary - the  attached advert will be appearing in the next edition of  BMJ. 

Full details of the post, and an application pack, can also be found on our website via the following  link: 

http://www.bbolmc.co.uk/classifieds/bbomd/bbomd.html  

Thank you for your help. 

Best wishes
Pauline
Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs

 

Hospital Screening for MRSA: GP workload                     (07/04/09)

From 1st April there seems to be a national initiative to screen more hospital patients  for MRSA.

No PCT or hospital trust has approached BBOLMC about how any therapy/medication will be prescribed.

My fear is that some prescribing and/or repeat screening will be bounced to practices.

There are early reports of this happening in other LMC areas.

Could you please let me  know if this sort of activity begins to occur in your locality?

Paul Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC

 

Summary of New Patient Complaints Process from April 2009
                                                                                                         (03/04/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE  CIRCULATE

Dear All

Please find attached for your and your GPs’ information, a “Summary of the new patient complaints process from April 2009”.

Best wishes
Pauline

Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs
Tel: 01628 475727
www.bbolmc.co.uk

 

New National Complaints Procedure                                   (02/04/09)

From 1st April 2009 there will be a new complaints procedure for the health and social services.

The guidance document is called ˜Listening, Responding, Improving: a guide to better customer care.” It can be found at:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuid ance/DH_095408  

On 1 April 2009 the new Care Quality Commission comes into being and incorporates the Healthcare Commission.

In future the role of the Healthcare Commission in independently reviewing complaints will be taken on by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Health (the Ombudsman). 

This means that there will be only two stages to resolving complaints:
Local resolution at practice/PCT level,   and
Referral to the Ombudsman. 

New Complaints Regulations also come into force on 1.4.09

They are much less easy to read
See http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2009/pdf/uksi_20090309_en.pdf  

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

 

Developing general practice, listening to patients             (31/03/09)

The GPC wants to learn more  about the way in which practices respond to patient expectations at a local  level and what barriers practices encounter that prevent them making appropriate changes. The attached consultation Developing general practice, listening to patients has been devised to encourage GPs to discuss practice services with their  patients and to feed back to the GPC examples of improvements they have made in their practices. At the end of the consultation process the GPC will gather  comments and case studies to inform our discussions with the UK governments and disseminate examples of innovative practice across the profession.

We would be grateful if you could cascade this consultation to your practices. Many GPs already ask for their patients' views  of the services provided but encouragement from LMCs for practice involvement in this consultation process would be very helpful.

( See attached file: Developing general practice, listening to patients - March 2009 )

This is also available on the BMA website: http://www.bma.org.uk/healthcare_policy/DevGP0309.jsp  

Regards
Karen Day
GPC  secretariat
kday@bma.org.uk

 

Changes to QOF from 1st April 2009                                     (25/03/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS – PLEASE CIRCULATE 

The QOF guidance for 09/10 has now been published 

Please see
http://www.bma.org.uk/employmentandcontracts/independent_contractors/quality_outcom es_framework/qof0309.jsp

There is a re-allocation of points to heart failure, chronic kidney disease, sexual health, anxiety & depression, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension and diabetes.

Paul Roblin
CEO BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

 

Patient Registration FAQs  09                                                 (06/03/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE  CIRCULATE

Dear All
GPC have produced “Patient  Registration FAQs” to replace their “Focus on Patient Registration” and update their previous FAQs. The document covers a range of issues including  eligibility, ID provision, allocated patients and removal of  patients.

A copy of the FAQs is attached for your and your GPs information, and is also available on our website at http://www.bbolmc.co.uk/patregfaq09.pdf

Best wishes
Pauline
Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs
Tel: 01628 475727
www.bbolmc.co.uk

 

Police sending patients to GPs for documentation of injuries  
                                                                                                         (27/02/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE  CIRCULATE 

Police sending patients to GPs for documentation of injuries  

This issue has cropped up again in the ThamesValley

The text I wrote in  my July 2005 Newsletter is still relevant (See below)

(Please note that the File Quality Manager names at the bottom may now have changed) 

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

Police asking Patients to see GP after Assault - BBO LMC July 2005 Newsletter

Many GPs have been frustrated by increasing numbers of patients consulting apparently on the advice of police  officers, solely to document the consequences of assault however trivial and  unimportant clinically.

I have therefore asked the Thames  Valley Police for their policy and this is documented below

The important bit is at the end
“However, you are  correct in stating that we should not be routinely asking patients to see their  GP, simply to have injuries documented.
Payments (for GP statements) are arranged through our File Quality Managers and officers should  assist in this area.”

Email to Secretariat (30.6.05):
(Jane Meadows, Policy and Procedures Inspector, ThamesValley Police, Tel: 01865  856381) 

I have been asked to contact you in  relation to your recent complaints regarding the increasing number of requests  for Doctor’s statements GPs have been receiving.
I hope that I have rectified the situation by putting out the attached message to our entire  workforce.

Medical  Evidence

The  force is receiving a growing number of complaints from GPs where officers are incorrectly advising victims of assault to attend their GP in order for their  injuries to be documented. 

Medical evidence from a doctor should only be required in the more serious cases, usually ABH and  above where the injury will usually require A&E treatment.  For common  assaults and the majority of ABHs photographic evidence, descriptive evidence  from a police officer and details from the aggrieved will suffice.  CPS Lawyers  should not be insisting on medical evidence and any unnecessary requests should  be challenged through your File Quality Manager(FQM).  Unfortunately there are no hard and fast rules for when an ABH will require medical evidence, but the best guidance is  that it will be required when the injury is not obvious externally (e.g. broken  bone in the hand). If you are uncertain, check with your FQM before instructing  a victim to see their own doctor.

There is a protocol in place with all A&E Departments which is agreed at ACPO and British Medical Association level.  This protocol allows for the payment of medical statements and systems are in place with your local FQM to obtain such statements.  The full protocol is available on the Criminal Justice Website at  (A-Z site Protocol for the provision of Witness Statements from Hospital Accident and Emergency Staff).

I believe that some of the confusion may have arisen as we have moved to a Prosecution Team approach  with Crown Prosecution Service in the past year.  There have been many requests from the CPS to obtain medical evidence that perhaps should not have been made.  I have also discussed these issues with colleagues in the CPS before putting this advice out.  There may still be a few cases where the individual has seen  their own G.P. rather than an A&E doctor and we would request a statement.  However, you are correct in stating that we should not be routinely asking  patients to see their G.P. simply to have injuries documented.  Payments are arranged through our File Quality Managers (see listing below) and officers  should assist in this area.

I hope this is sufficient to sort this situation out, but accept that messages do take time to  get through to 4,500 staff. 

Second Email about FQM

FQM stands for File Quality  Manager. When an officer submits case papers to support a court case they are  quality assured by these individuals before going off to the Crown Prosecution  Service. 

There contact details are as follows: 

Aylesbury

Keith  Jackman

01296  396054

Milton Keynes

Audrey O’Connor

01908  686139

Reading &  Wokingham

DS Sue Upton

0118953  6340

North  Oxfordshire

Charmain Hills

01295  754615

Slough

Maggie Goodwin

01753  506175

Southern Oxfordshire

David  Parry

01235  556835

OxfordCity

Karin  Williams

01865  266326

High Wycombe

Rashmi Sharma

01494  686179

West Berkshire

Martin Robinson

01635  264673

Maidenhead

DS Bob Harvey

01628  645691

 

BMA Seminars for Salaried GPs                                           (27/02/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE  CIRCULATE TO YOUR SALARIED GPs

Dear All
The BMA have released  details of their forthcoming half day seminars for salaried GPs – see below.

Please be kind enough  to distribute this information to your salaried GPs. Many thanks. 

Best wishes
Pauline
Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs
Tel: 01628 475727
www.bbolmc.co.uk

From: JGoodway@bma.org.uk [mailto:JGoodway@bma.org.uk]
Sent: 27 February 2009 09:49
Subject: Salaried GP seminars 

Dear LMCs,
The BMA is running four half day seminars aimed specifically at  salaried GPs, and I would be grateful if you could inform the salaried GPs in  your area of these events. These events aim to:

    • Advise on employment rights for nGMS, PMS, APMS and PCO-employed GPs including  sickness, maternity and redundancy issues, as well as general guidance on  contractual rights following maternity leave and at the end of FCS and Retainer  Scheme funding.
    • Outline in detail the benefits of the model/minimum salaried GP contract negotiated by the BMA, and how to  ensure that at least these minimum are obtained.
    • Provide helpful tips for successful negotiations on salary, terms and conditions, and contract changes for use with current and new employers, with practice sessions.
    • Provide an interactive setting,  with the opportunity for delegates to ask questions on the day.

Dates of seminars
Monday 9 March 2009 - Birmingham
Tuesday 24 March 2009 - York
Wednesday 27 May 2009 - Oxford
Tuesday 22 September 2009 - BMA House, London

Registration fees
The costs to attend these half day seminars are as follows:
£46.00 including VAT for BMA Members
£80.50 including VAT for Non-members
A sandwich lunch and refreshments will be provided.
Please note that non-members are entitled to the BMA rate if they join the BMA when registering. For further information about this please call BMA Conferences on 020 7383 6819.

More details on these events can be found  at:
www.bma.org.uk/conferences  

With kind regards,
Julie Goodway
GPC office

 

LMC Update                                                                                 (27/02/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE  CIRCULATE

Dear All

1) GPC Focus on Salaried GPs Guidance - Revised February  2009  

GPC have now revised their “Focus on Salaried GPs guidance” to incorporate guidance for salaried GPs on negotiating  their salary and handling requests to change hours of work. The revised version  is attached for your and your GPs’ information and will shortly also be available via our website: www.bbolmc.co.uk .

2) Recent BBOLMC Website Additions 

The following have recently been added to our website: 

  • BBOLMC CEO Annual Report 2008
  • GPC News - Feb 2009
  • Berkshire LMC 2007/08  Accounts Summary
  • GP Referral Incentive Schemes -  Jan 2009
  • Dr Roblin’s Power Point Presentation of GPC/RCGP ˜Preparing for pandemic influenza -  What to now and in a pandemic” Guidance for GP Practices
  • Draft minutes of the January meeting of Oxfordshire County LMC and of the February meetings of  Berkshire and Buckinghamshire County LMCs
  • Latest LMC Hot Topic and Information Alert emails to practices*
  • Latest job vacancies across the 3  counties.

The above can be found at:www.bbolmc.co.uk

*NB: The most  recent Hot Topic and Information Alert emails can now be accessed via the red  “Click for Latest Email Alert” link on our website’s Home Page. 

Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs
Tel: 01628 475727
www.bbolmc.co.uk

 

BBOLMC CEO Report on 2008                                               (19/02/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE  CIRCULATE TO YOUR GPS 

BBOLMC CEO Report on 2008:
Paul Roblin, Secretariat Chief Executive  

Part of my standard preparation for the Annual Report involves reviewing the CountyLMC and LRC minutes for the previous year. This year in particular, it surprised me how quickly events had moved on  over 12 months. 

2008 began with the furore over Impositions A and B for Extended Hours. Just prior to Christmas, government had requested that the GPC endorse a more onerous DES for  Extended Hours than the one close to agreement with NHS Employers. They made it  clear that failure to recommend ”Imposition A” would result in “Imposition B”, involving a permanent reduction in maximum QOF points and loss of a 1.5% uplift  to GP income. GP opinion varied. Some talked of a campaign to eradicate traditional GP contract types in favour of APMS contracts and mass resignation  being the only option. Others warned that this issue was not one justifying war  with government: the public would not understand. 

The GPC  refused to comply with the government without consulting and balloting the  profession. To ensure all GPs were fully informed on the issues, each ThamesValley county held extraordinary open meetings. The ballot result for England was announced at the end of February. It showed a 92% vote for “Imposition A”, qualified importantly by 96%  support for neither imposition being acceptable, (“A” was just the least bad). Additionally 98% were critical of the government method of  negotiation. 

Faced with a continuing media and government campaign denigrating GPs, many GPs subsequently chose to limit the damage to income. Progress nationally on formal DES paperwork  was painfully slow. National guidelines were issued to PCTs and with  encouragement from LMC many developed Extended Hours LESs with attractive  flexibilities permitting nursing hours and GP concurrent working. Some, but not  all practices signed up to these. Certainly the anger of the early part of 2008  seemed to subside and Extended Hours for many became something to just get on  and do. 

This resigned  acceptance of extended hours has been upset in recent months by misinterpretation of the formal DES Directions by some PCTs. PCTs have withdrawn their LESs after a short lifespan, and now offer only the unattractive DES. This is despite PCTs having reached their 50% target for strict DES sign up. The  prospect remains that other PCTs will follow suit. Most commentators agree that  government intransigence on workforce flexibility during extended hours is illogical and not in patients’ interests. But when did that ever matter to a government wishing to demonstrate its power?  

Linked with  Extended Hours has been another 2008 imposition. All PCTs must commission a new GP-Led Health (Darzi) Centre, opening seven days a week, 8-8pm and offering both  list based care and walk-in services. PCTs faced with local growth or major local access problems may find this concept fits with their own plans, but in  many spending £1m per annum on a Darzi Centre doesn’t make sense. The LMC has in  one selected area balloted patients and confirmed the obvious. Patients believe  money could be better spent in other ways, if only local PCTs were free to commission unhampered by government dictat. As I write this report, contracts will soon be placed. It remains to be seen whether the recent financial downturn will frighten off private commercial providers. I hope many PCTs will decide that the funding required by such companies for the specified services is too  high a price to pay. 

October and  November saw the announcement by GPC and NHS Employers of their contract agreement for 2009/10. For some time, GP opinion has been divided over the justification for the Square Root and 5% cut off adjustment made by QMAS in  handling clinical prevalence within QOF. It has now been agreed that these two  adjustments will disappear, the former next April and the latter a year later.  Inevitably some practices with low prevalence will lose out financially with  this change. Student practices and those comprising young families seem obvious candidates.  

As often happens, problems deemed too difficult to sort out nationally are often bounced  downwards for local LMC action. The GPC was refused permission to supply LMCs  with government listings of those practices likely to be hit hard, yet expected LMCs to begin local discussion over compensatory funding flows.  BBOLMC therefore developed its own prevalence calculator for practices to assess how  the changes will affect them. Once armed with the size and scope of the problem LMC can start meaningful dialogue with PCTs. 

At the same  time a nineteenths formula was announced that will uplift Global Sum by a higher % than MPIG. An explanation of how this will work for any uplift recommended by  the Review Body appears at http://www.bbolmc.co.uk/nineteenthsform.xls. The formula agreed by GPC essentially means that although most practices will receive some uplift to total funding, much of any GS uplift will  again be counterbalanced by a Correction Factor reduction. BBOLMC will be  seeking PCT help for those faced with a double financial  hit. 

Obstacles to getting patients referred continue to trouble GPs across the ThamesValley. Most PCTs continue to push C+B,  but one actually incentivises practices to use its own RFC instead! As an active  clinician, I share the frustration of many who find the new systems impractical  and time consuming. When you’re in the business of getting patient problems sorted, the bureaucracy we’ve seen imposed in the past 5 years seems Machiavellian. I support efforts to help local health economies live within  budget and spend taxes wisely but there must be a better way to reduce cost in  secondary care than introducing systems in which referrals are lost or people  just give up trying to navigate over-complicated processes. 

Some of you  will know that I have initiated dialogue in the latter part of 2008, over modernising LMC structure. Constant reorganisation of the NHS means local  decision makers have varied in their geography over time. We now have 5 PCTs and  this has increased the importance of our liaison meetings with them.  Some have questioned the role of CountyLMCs where that county contains 2 PCTs,  and it’s possible that a regular meeting of TV LMCs might be a better option. As debate continues, we constantly have to keep in mind the possibility of  further NHS reorganisation and the need for LMC structure to remain flexible.  

For the whole  of 2008 I have been working as sole BBOLMC negotiator at the Marlow office. I  hope you feel LMC has still dealt with your issues during this time.  During  2009 we plan to increase our workforce with a new Medical Director, and I hope  some of you reading this might find such a position  attractive. 

The summer of  2008 saw the GPC “Support Your Practice Campaign”. This followed a government inspired media campaign against GPs. The committee organising this initiative was chaired by a Thames Valley GP, Prit Buttar, and he is to be congratulated on his work. In early June his team presented a petition signed by 1.3 million  patients to 10 Downing Street. The PR battle is still not won, but to me, there has seemed less frequent adverse media commentary about GPs over the last  6 months. Is this wishful thinking? 

No LMC report  on 2008 would be complete without mentioning Eric Rose, who retired from  partnership and medical politics in September. He was one of my predecessors as  Berks and Bucks LMC Secretary and for decades has been a prominent national GP figure. General practice has lost an articulate and selfless advocate. I wish  Eric well in retirement. 

I have no  doubt the LMC will be working even harder on your behalf in 2009. Please let me know the issues that trouble you both locally and nationally. I may not win them all but that won’t stop me trying.

Best wishes
Paul Roblin
Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

 

Could all GPs Help with Motions to LMC Conference       (19/02/09)

To all ThamesValley practices 

This email is to invite all GPs to help with motions to the 2009 LMC conference (June 11th and  12th)

Motions have to be submitted by 14/4/09 and will be finalized by each countyLMC during late March and early April 

Please either describe your concerns (and I will convert them into a motion) or write your own motion and send me details asap. 

If you want to see how motions are usually written see
http://www.bma.org.uk/whats_on/branch_practice_conferences/LMCConfJune2008.jsp  

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

 

BMA Salaried GPs - Handbook 2009                                   (18/02/09)

TO ALLTHAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE CIRCULATE TO ALL YOUR GPs

Dear All
We have received the following information from BMA re this week’s launch of their Salaried GPs - Handbook  2009:

”This has been  produced as a benefit of BMA membership for salaried GPs and GP employers. 

The Handbook explains the legal entitlements of all salaried GPs as  employees.  It therefore helps to ensure that salaried GPs are aware of their statutory and contractual rights.  In addition, it helps to prevent GP employers falling foul of the law.  The handbook also contains sections on the national and local representation of salaried GPs, how to become a salaried GP and the work involved. 

Salaried GPs who are BMA members have been sent their own individual hard copy of the handbook. Other BMA members who  would like a hard copy of the handbook, can request this via the BMA website, by telephoning 0300 123 123 3 or by emailing support@bma.org.uk. For ease of use, the handbook is also  available on the BMA website for BMA members.

The Handbook will be distributed to Salaried GP BMA  members from 26 February 2009 and that, if they do not receive a copy by 11  March 2009, they should contact the BMA.

We would be grateful if you would publicise the Handbook to your GPs - both salaried GPs and GP employers - to ensure that all GPs are  aware of its existence and how it is available. 

Finally, as you will be aware, the BMA is able to  provide expert employment advice for salaried GPs and their GP employers.  While  the Handbook will be of value to these GPs, it does not replace the individual advice that is available and which it is essential that GPs obtain from the  BMA.”

Please be kind enough to circulate this email to all your GPs for their information; thank you.  

Best wishes
Pauline
Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs

 

GP Referral Incentive Schemes - Jan 2009                         (05/02/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE  CIRCULATE

Dear All
For your and your GPs’ information, please see the GPC’s email below and their attached “GP Referral Incentive Schemes - Jan 2009” Guidance. 

Dr Roblin has  written:

Are GP incentives an appropriate way of cutting referrals?
Pulse :  Wed, 14  Jan 2009:
Paying GPs to review and reduce referrals is perfectly ethical and also essential to make best use of NHS funds, says LMC chief executive Dr Paul  Roblin 

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

Please note that the GPC’s Guidance will shortly also be available via our website at www.bbolmc.co.uk  

Best wishes
Pauline
Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs

Subject: GP referral incentive schemes

GP referral incentive  schemes - January 2009
There has been concern at the  development by PCTs of incentive schemes that aim to reduce referral rates or the cost of referrals from general practice to secondary care. These schemes  often take two broad forms; either to encourage GPs to analyse and better understand their practice referral patterns and/or promote the use of  alternative referral pathways to hospital services, or to encourage GPs to reduce their level or cost of referrals as an outcome in itself. Such schemes  were established with the advent of practice based commissioning, but have become more prominent and widespread in the context of a reported 16% rise in  referrals from general practice in the first quarter of 2008/09 compared with  this same period last year. This guidance intends to inform LMCs of what the GPC  regards as appropriate practice.
(See attached file: GP referral incentive schemes - Jan  2009.pdf)
This guidance is also available on the BMA website at: http://www.bma.org.uk/employmentandcontracts/independent_contractors/commissioning_ service_provision/gpreferralscheme0109.jsp

Regards
Karen  Day
GPC secretariat
kday@bma.org.uk

 

Dr Roblin's PowerPoint presentation of GPC/RCGP 'Preparing for pandemic influenza - Guidance for GP practices’           (30/01/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE  CIRCULATE

Dear All
GPC and RCGP have issued joint Guidance for GP practices: ˜Preparing for pandemic influenza - what to do now and in a pandemic”

Dr Roblin has produced a PowerPoint  presentation of the guidance which is available on our website via the following  link:
http://www.bbolmc.co.uk/pandplnpr0109.ppt    

The following have also recently been added to our website:

  • GPC Guidance - Focus on Seniority  Payments Jan 09
  • BMA Response to Consultation on the  Quality and Outcomes Framework
  • Developing the QOF: Proposals for a  new, independent process
  • Draft minutes of the January meetings of East Berkshire, West Berkshire, South Bucks, Milton Keynes and Oxfordshire LRC/PCT Liaison Groups
  • Latest LMC Hot Topic and Information Alert emails*
  • Latest job vacancies across the 3  counties.

The above can be found at:www.bbolmc.co.uk  

*NB: The most  recent Hot Topic and Information Alert emails can now be accessed via the red “Latest Hot Topic added” link on our website’s Home  Page. 

Best wishes
Pauline
Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs

 

GPC warning re use of redirection services                       (27/01/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE  CIRCULATE 

Dear All
For your and your GPs’ information, please see the GPC’s emailed warning below re practices’ use of  redirection services.  

Best wishes
Pauline
Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs
Tel: 01628 475727
www.bbolmc.co.uk

From: GPC Local  Medical Committees discussion list
Sent: 26 January 2009 16:06
To: LMC-L@LISTSERV.BMA.ORG.UK
Subject: Warning re use of redirection services

Dear all
askBMA has  informed us that there has been a problem with a practice using a weekend redirection service, which directs calls to a doctor's house rather than the surgery. The phone company had contacted the surgery to make them aware of  unusual activity on the line over the weekend, as there had a been high number of calls to premium numbers. It turned out that the line had been hacked by hackers who then used the outgoing line to make calls. Apparently they target doctors, dentists, surgeries etc , who use a redirection service.

The practice has informed police of the situation but is still going to have high bill to pay and they suggest we  advise doctors who use redirection services to ensure they have a bar on premium numbers.

The practice contacted askBMA to make us aware of this incident.

Kind regards
Catharina Ohman-Smith
Senior Policy Executive
BMA General Practitioners Committee
cohman-smith@bma.org.uk  

 

Prescription Charge exemption for Cancer patients       (23/01/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE  CIRCULATE 

Many of you have been irritated and confused by Ministerial announcements about Prescription Charge exemption for Cancer patients.

I  have tried to research the facts, and summarise these below
Page 2 of the attached guidance gives details of what cancer scenarios qualify for  exemption

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

On 20.1.09 the BBC website (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7838234.stm)  reported:
Public Health  Minister Dawn Primarolo said:
"I would urge patients to make an appointment with their GP from this week to talk about  applying for their exemption certificate."
See http://nds.coi.gov.uk/content/detail.asp?NewsAreaID=2&ReleaseID=390187  

This provoked an outcry from GPs (See Avon  LMC press release in box below)

PRESS  RELEASE
Local GPs kept in dark over  prescription charges exemption for cancer patients. 

Angry GPs have hit out at  the announcement by Dawn Primarolo surrounding prescription charge exemption for cancer patients. While supporting the much needed move to relieve the financial  burden of charges from these patients, GPs have been given no information from Ms Primarolo's Department about how they should implement the planned  change.

And while it has been widely reported that local MP and Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo has said: "I would urge patients to make an appointment with their GP from this week to talk about applying for their exemption certificate", there is huge concern from GPs  that the announcement falsely raises patient expectations. GPs believe it is a  complete waste of cancer sufferers' time and energy to urge them to see their GP this week, when the Department of Health has not advised GPs of the rules or  provided the forms necessary to allow cancer sufferers to be exempt from  prescription charges. 

Dr Simon Bradley Chairman of Avon LMC, the local GP representative body said:

"It is absolutely  typical of this Government to seek to grab headlines with popular policy without  having put in place the processes necessary to support patient care. It raises  expectation and then disappoints patients leaving the patient's family doctor to pick up the pieces." 

Also on 20.1.09, the GPC said:

GPC has this morning received a further letter about it  with what is meant to be advance notice of the fact that the necessary  regulations are to be laid before Parliament this week, and the pads of revised  application forms will also be sent to practices and Trusts this week.
Each pad will be accompanied by  a copy of guidance which expands on the regulations but will not overrule a  doctor's clinical judgement in deciding whether or not to sign a patient's  application for an exemption certificate. This guidance will be up on the DH and  NHS Business Services Authority websites later this  week. 

The following extract from GPC News 5 (December 2008)  may be helpful:

"In line with other medical  exemptions, entitlements will arise through an exemption certificate.   Application forms (FP92A) are being revised to include the new category and will be distributed direct to practices by the NHS Business Services Authority  (BSA).  Otherwise, the arrangements will be the same as for the current medical  exemptions.  The BSA plans to distribute sufficient pads of forms to practices  so that each doctor may hold a pad.  (Additional pads may be ordered via the PCT  as usual as can pre-addressed envelopes for dispatch of the forms.) Pads will  be distributed before 1 April and applications will be accepted by the PPD as  soon as the new forms are available although exemption certificates for cancer  patients will not start until 1 April 2009.  Locally amended versions of the  current application form cannot be accepted.

The PPD will write direct to practitioners in the near future outlining the arrangements and asking them to run down stocks of the current version of the application forms. The PPD will also write to trusts to ask oncology departments to order pads of forms for  their current patients.  GPs will beasked to give an application form to relevant  patients as they present but will not be expected to search through records to  identify other patients.

 

NHS Recommendation on how long to keep records and documents  
                                                                                                     (23/01/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS – PLEASE CIRCULATE 

I recently had a query about how long to keep message books and couldn't answer it from memory 

I have now found the relevant NHS guidance documents at
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuid ance/DH_4131747  

Part 2 (DH_093025) has tables called:
Annex D1 (page 7-62)    Health Records Retention Schedule
Annex D2 (page64-101    Business and Corporate (Non-Health) Records retention Schedule 

The answer to the question I had about message books can be found in Annex D2 page 74 

Dr Paul Roblin
CEO BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

 

BMA GP Employment Law Courses 2009                       (23/01/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE  CIRCULATE

Please see details of  two BMA employment law courses below

I went on the “Managing  Change” course yesterday and found it excellent. It dealt with recruitment and  selection, contracts of employment, terminating employment, and redundancy.
I am due to go on the second “Managing Performance” module soon and expect it to be of  similar quality
This will deal with  performance management, staff grievances, handling disciplinary matters and  absence. 

The purpose of this email is to recommend both courses to all practice managers and partners involve in staff management

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

From:GPC Local Medical Committees discussion list
Sent: 26 November 2008 15:11
Subject: GP employment law courses 2009

GP employment law  courses 2009

Following the successful launch of our programme of employment law courses for GP Partners in 2008, BMA Regional Services are pleased to announce the dates for our programme of courses in 2009.   Running throughout the year in venues across England, these courses will help you  to keep track of employment legislation, best practice and human resources  issues.

Managing Change will include recruitment and  selection, contracts of employment, terminating employment, and redundancy and will help you to handle change among staff fairly and consistently.

Managing Performance will help you to get the most from your staff and will include performance management, dealing with staff grievances, handling disciplinary matters and absence.

For further information about the  courses, including registration fees, please visit the BMA website at http://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/gpemploymentlaw09

Places are strictly limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.  Reduced registration fees are available for BMA Members, to whom priority will be given.  Practice Managers are also invited to attend and will pay the same registration fee as their GP Partner, depending on whether they are a Member or Non-Member of the BMA.

If you should have any questions about the courses or are unable to access the website, please contact BMA Conferences on 020 7383 6605/6923 or by email at confunit@bma.org.uk

 

GPC Guidance: Focus on seniority payments - updated January 2009
                                                                                                       (22/01/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE CIRCULATE 

Dear All
For your and your GPs’ information, please see the attached updated GPC Focus on Seniority Payments Guidance.

The Guidance includes information on what seniority payments are, calculating your payments,  claiming your payment for work outside the NHS, appeals, salaried GPs,  sabbaticals voluntary overseas service, primary medical services GPs, and a  number of frequently asked questions. The document has been updated in January 2009 to include the most up to date seniority  figures.

Best wishes
Pauline
Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs

 

GPC response to the DH consultation: Developing the QOF  
                                                                                                       (13/01/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE  CIRCULATE 

Dear All
For your and your GPs’ information, please see the GPC’s email below re their response to the DH  consultation “Developing the QOF: Proposals for a new independent process”. 

Best wishes
Pauline
Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs
Tel: 01628 475727
www.bbolmc.co.uk

From: KDay@bma.org.uk [mailto:KDay@bma.org.uk]
Sent: 13 January 2009 09:47
Subject: GPC response to the DH  consultation: Developing the QOF: Proposals for a new independent  process

Dear LMC
The GPC's response to the Department of Health consultation ”Developing the Quality and Outcomes Framework:  Proposals for a new independent process” is now available on the BMA  website at the following link - http://www.bma.org.uk/employmentandcontracts/independent_contractors/quality_outcom es_framework/QoFconsultationJan09.jsp

The  consultation proposes that the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE)  lead a new process overseeing the review and development of health and clinical indicators from April 2009, as initially proposed by Darzi's Next Stage Review.  The consultation also contains proposals that PCOs select additional indicators  reflecting local priorities. It is essential that we stop any development of a  local QOF within the 1000 points as there can be no suggestion that evidence or  thresholds could or should be different anywhere in the UK. We strongly believe that changes to the QOF must build on the improvements in quality and consistency of care that it has already achieved, and must not create health inequalities across the UK. Any changes as a result of the review will still require contractual negotiation and as such the GPC expects to continue to have a full role in QOF development in the future.

Key  points in our response include -

    • The importance of  maintaining a UK-wide, evidence-based QOF to maintain the QOF's status as a  world leader in primary care quality standards
    • Our strong belief  that the QOF should not be localised by allowing PCOs to select additional  indicators to reflect local priorities
    • That, as key stakeholders, we strongly urge that any review of any aspect of the QOF is done  so in partnership with the GPC
    • Our concerns about NICE's proposed role in the QOF process
    • That the proposed  changes may threaten the consistency of care established by the QOF since its introduction and subsequently the confidence of the profession and patients in the QOF may diminish
    • Our concerns about the misunderstandings of the funding of the GP contract and the QOF, upon which  these proposals have been based.

We would encourage all LMCs to consider and respond  to the consultation and use the GPC's paper to assist with formulating your  response, to ensure that the Department of Health receives a coordinated  response from UK GPs. Please also remind practices about the consultation and encourage them and their patients and Patient Participation Groups to feed into the consultation as well.

The Department of Health deadline for all  responses is 2 February 2008 and the full consultation can be accessed on the DH website at the following link - http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/consultations/liveconsultations/DH_089778

If you have any questions or queries, please email the GPC office at info.gpc@bma.org.uk.

Regards
Karen  Day
GPC secretariat
kday@bma.org.uk

 

Preparing for pandemic influenza - Guidance for GP practices
                                                                                                         (13/01/09)

To All ThamesValley Practices 

BBOLMC feels all practices should look at the joint GPC/RCGP document
Preparing  for pandemic influenza - Guidance for GP  practices  

This can be found at http://www.rcgp.org.uk/pdf/GP_Guidance.pdf or
http://www.bma.org.uk/health_promotion_ethics/influenza/panfluguiddec08.jsp?page=1  

It recommends that all practices should aim to identify Buddying Groups and have a Pandemic Flu Contingency plan agreed between the group and the PCO by March 31  2009.

This is the first issue of this guidance document. There are a number of areas in which definitive guidance  has yet to be produced and the document will be regularly updated as discussions  continue and are concluded between the DH, NHS Employers, BMA and the RCGP. It is therefore important that you revisit the BMA website regularly.  

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

 

LMC Update                                                                                 (09/01/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE  CIRCULATE

Dear All
Please find below, for your and your GP’s information, details of recent additions to our website:

  • GP Trainees subcommittee e-bulletin - Dec 08
  • GPC News - December  08
  • GPC Guidance -˜Focus on Dynamising Factor - Nov 08”
  • Latest LMC meetings and LRC/PCT  Liaison meetings draft Minutes across the 3 counties
  • Updated memberships for the CountyLMCs and their LRC Committees
  • Latest LMC Hot Topic alerts
  • Latest job vacancies across the 3  counties (updated every Friday).

The above, and more, can be found  at: www.bbolmc.co.uk

Best wishes
Pauline

Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs
Tel: 01628 475727
www.bbolmc.co.uk

 

PCTA - Minor Surgery Skills Courses for GPs/GPwSIs in 2009
                                                                                                       (07/01/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE CIRCULATE

Dear All

Please find below, and attached, information from PCTA re their 2009 Minor Surgery Skills Courses for  circulation to your GPs, GPwSIs and Nurse Practitioners. 

Best wishes
Pauline
Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs
Tel: 01628 475727
www.bbolmc.co.uk

Dear Colleague 
Happy New Year to you from the all the team at the Primary Care Training Academy in Birmingham.

The academy had a fantastic 2008 with four hugely  popular Minor Surgery Skills courses held over the year. Feedback from all our  GP attendees has been excellent.

I would be most grateful if you would kindly forward the attached details of these accredited Minor Surgery Skills courses for  GP's/GPwSI's and Nurse Practitioners to be held in  2009.

Full details are available as last year, as a download from the academy website at www.primarycaretrainingacademy.co.uk . A pdf containing course details and a booking form is attached. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me directly via return email or on my mobile 07974 943 860 for any further  details.

Kind regards and best wishes for a peaceful and  prosperous New Year to you.

Mr S Hassan FRCS(Plast) FRCS(Eng)  FRCSE
Courses Director
PCTA

 

LMC Flu vaccine discount scheme for 2009                       (06/01/09)

To all Thames Valley practices 

I am currently negotiating the 2009  LMC discount scheme with all the major flu vaccine  manufacturers

I have just had my first offer and wanted the opinion of practices about it 

The headline cost of the 2 vaccines  on offer is £5.85.They are offering them to practices at £2.41 + vat =  £2.89

My Excel Spreadsheet profit  calculator (attached) gives a total NHS reimbursement of £9.06 and a profit of  £6.17

How does this compare with what you  can organize elsewhere?

What in the past has made you  purchase your flu vaccines outside the LMC deal?

Would the deal I have outlined above make you switch suppliers?

When in the year do you normally make your supply decisions and place an order?

All feedback and comment welcomed

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

 

Tenon Medical Seminar                                                           (06/01/09)

To All Thames Valley practices

Some of you may be interested in the seminar on polyclinics.
It seems to offer help on what GPs might do to compete in the tender market

21st January, 12.15 for  12.30 start 2pm sharp finish.
Copthorne Hotel  Reading

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727

 

Details of this year’s QOF                                                         (06/01/09)

Subject: Details of this year's  QOF  

I have become aware that some GPs  are finding changes in the 08/09 QOF that they hadn’t appreciated.

In planning your practice systems  please use the up to date QOPF which can be found by clicking the hyperlink below:
Download Statement of Financial Entitlements (Amendment) (No 5) Directions 2008 (PDF,  1274K)

Dr Paul  Roblin
CEO  BBOLMC
07799116597 or 01628 475727  

 

British Medical Acupuncture Society - acupuncture training courses
                                                                                                         (06/01/09)

TO ALL THAMES VALLEY PRACTICE CONTACTS - PLEASE  CIRCULATE  

Dear All

For your, and your GPs information, please see the email below and attached leaflet from the British  Medical Acupuncture Society re their 2009 Foundation  Courses. 

Best wishes
Pauline
Pauline  Green
Administration & Information Manager
Berks, Bucks & Oxon  LMCs
Tel: 01628 475727
www.bbolmc.co.uk  

Subject: British Medical Acupuncture Society - acupuncture training courses

The British Medical Acupuncture  Society is a registered charity established to  encourage the use and scientific understanding of acupuncture within medicine  for the public benefit. It seeks to enhance the education and training of  suitably qualified practitioners, and to promote high standards of working  practices in acupuncture.

Members are regulated  healthcare professionals who practise acupuncture within the scope of their professional practice.

The BMAS runs acupuncture training courses for healthcare professionals subject to statutory regulation.  I have attached details of our 2009 Foundation courses  and would be grateful if you could in someway forward this information to the relevant medical professionals, GPs, Nurses, Nurse practitioners  etc.

This information has been sent in electronic format to facilitate the dissemination of the  information.

Please feel free to  contact me on the telephone number below if you require any further information.

Kind regards
Julie  Cummings
General Manager
BMAS
BMAS House
3 Winnington Court
Northwich CW8 1AQ
Tel: 01606 786782 Fax: 01606 786783

 

 

 

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