Chair Update
Dear Members/ Colleagues,
In a positive move for Barnet practices and staff, the Federation and the Training Hub are pleased to have appointed the first joint Director across both Barnet organisations. Congratulations to Dr Thiv Thiruudaian who was the successful candidate and can bring his experience both with the Federation and as A long-standing GP trainer and advocate for workforce development. We look forward to continuing this collaboration to ensure that new primary care services are developed and delivered effectively by our primary care team.
As we return to a new normal of ‘business as usual’, the Federation will be here to support you as our members through the services we provide, and the practice support we can offer. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any needs you may have or any suggestions of collaborative working you would like to do.
Stay safe and well!
Anuj
Dr Anuj Patel
Patients
Your PPG Network!
Continuing last month’s theme of PPGs as powerful resources, ensure yours has joined the Barnet Patient Participation Network. BPPN, the active pan-Barnet alliance of PPGs, maintains close ties with the Federation, CCG, Healthwatch and CB Primary Care group. Cooperation between PPGs increases their effectiveness, the wider reach bringing a strong, knowledgeable and dependable ‘patient voice’. GP practices benefit from increased support for their own PPG, improved input from well-informed patients, and mentoring for PPGs still in the development stage. The CCG benefits from the input and feedback enjoyed from a single forum engaging with a large number of people across its constituency, a wide range of experience and views providing an authentic, composite patient voice. Patients benefit from being better informed, leading to a greater understanding of decisions affecting their welfare and gaining the opportunity of making input to policy.
Support For Our Practices
Date for your diary – Pan Barnet event
5th May 2021 – Care Homes and MDTs
Welcome to our vacancy board – Do you have a vacancy or looking for a role in Barnet?
Practices and professionals seeking job opportunities in Barnet can advertise through our website on our Pan Barnet Noticeboard: https://barnetfederatedgps.org.uk/panbarnetnoticeboard/
Salaried GP
Ongoing recruitment for Salaried GPs to work primarily in EAS and other Federation services. If you are interested and would like to be considered, please refer to the attached Job Description for more details, or email barnet.federation@nhs.net.
Senior Clinician Criteria
Please note the criteria for being a BFG Senior Clinician has been reviewed and updated, attached is the revised version.
For any queries you may have, please contact the Federation via: barnet.federation@nhs.net
Supporting the provision of COVID vaccines to housebound patients!
The Federation team were happy to support member practices to deliver 1st vaccinations to some of our housebound patients. The offer to provide the essential administration support to CLCH was made to all member practices and PCN ‘s 1D and PCN 3 took up the offer. The data has been collated and will be shared with the PCN’s and member practices to ensure they have robust record keeping.
Over 80% of patients were vaccinated based on the list the Federation received.
The Federation would be happy to support further efforts for vaccinating.
Pulse Oximeters (Sats Probes) Collection Arrangement
BFG have recently taken delivery of pulse oximeters from the CCG. Each practice has been allocated based their patient list size. If you have still not collected your practices allocation, please refer to the attached process for arranging collection.
For any queries, please contact barnetfederatedgps.services@nhs.net
Services – Information You Need To Know
BFG would like to thank all practices that opted into the service for the new financial year, the service is now operational. For shift queries please contact services (barnetfederatedgps.services@nhs.net).
The main benefits of the service to member practices include:
- Flexibility and support needed to deliver the service by allowing practices to utilise their existing workforce within general practice or via the federation.
- A broad skill-mix of staff that can only be offered at scale.
Please note that Q4 (Jan-21 – Mar-21) data is being collated and will be shared with the respective PCN Clinical Directors and Practice Managers (for those practices that opted into the offer).
EAS Appointments Provision and New Service Co-design
Appointments Provision and how to access them
We are pleased to announce that over 48,000 consultations have taken place this financial year.
Please be aware that we cannot accept bookings for EAS through the main BFG office number.
In hours, patients can be booked into this service by their practice via the “Book cross-organisational slot” function in EMIS. Patients can also access the service through calling NHS 111.
Alternatively, patients can book directly through the appointment booking line – 02039486809 – which is available Monday-Friday 18.30-20.00 and Saturday-Sunday 08.00-20.00.
When booking into this service, please provide updated contact numbers for the patient. This will ensure that the GP can successfully contact the patient to conduct the telephone or video consultation. Please see attached the EAS appointments booking process for step-by-step guidance.
EAS New Service Co-design
BFG will be sending out invitations for a Task and Finish Group meeting with the Clinical Directors and Business Managers for the PCNs to co-design the new service model for EAS. Initial meetings with CD’s are being arranged. These discussions will aim to ensure that the best possible service is collectively provided for the patients of Barnet.
We would be keen to hear from our members and welcome feedback. Please email the Federation on: barnet.federation@nhs.net
Anticoagulation
The service offers specialist advice on all issues related to anticoagulant therapies and provides on-going monitoring for patients on anticoagulants. The clinics for near patient testing runs on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at the following locations:
- PHGH Doctors, Temple Fortune Health Centre, 23 Temple Fortune Lane, London, NW11 7TE (Mondays)
- Oak Lodge Medical Centre, 234 Burnt Oak Broadway, Edgware HA8 0AP (Wednesdays)
- The Vale drive medical practice, Vale Drive Primary Care Centre, Vale Dr, Barnet EN5 2ED (Thursdays)
- The Speedwell Practice, 16 Torrington Park, London N12 9SS (Fridays)
Rapid Response and Care Home Step-Down Support
BFG has been working in partnership with CLCH and member practices to deliver the Rapid Response Service. The service has been extended until June 2021 for now, feedback has been positive from the Rapid Response Team. Discussions are ongoing about longer term arrangements for this service.
If you are keen to be involved or would like to hear more about the service, please contact the Federation via: barnet.federation@nhs.net
The GP Support for Care Homes Service was well received by the system and subsequently stepped down on the 31st March 2021.
BFG would like to take this opportunity to thank Angeline Bird and Kate Read for their ongoing support with the delivery of the services.
Research
Barnet Study Updates
Current research activity:
- Vacc on track – Many thanks to Millway Medical Practice and Watling Medical Centre for attending the recent SIVs.
- You screen – 17 green lit practices as of 23rd March.
Currently recruiting:
- PAM – RCT evaluating the effectiveness of a brief remote intervention aiming to support adherence to patients prescribed antihypertensive medication. Up to £1,767 remuneration for recruiting 11 patients.
- Interact – RCT assessing the effectiveness of an integrated approach to delivering CBT in reducing depressive symptoms and improving quality of life over 12 months. Remuneration: £320 for inviting 140 patients.
- Apple-Tree – RCT assessing the effectiveness of a well-being intervention that is aimed at reducing cognitive decline in people with memory problems. Remuneration: £200 for screening 50 patients.
- Treat2Target – RCT evaluating the effects of an allopurinol-based treat-to-target ULT on the number of gout flares. Remuneration: £422 for recruitment of 1 patient.
If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact Deborah Onabajo via: barccg@barnetresearchnetwork@nhs.net or 020 7685 5909
Training Opportunities and Information
CQC Update – Training for Practice Managers
There are spaces still available for the second CQC update training 9.30am – 12.30pm on 21st April via MS Teams for Practice Managers, Deputy Practice Managers or other members of the Practice Management team.
For more details, please contact Emily, the Training Hub Administrator at: barnet.cepnadmin@nhs.net
Practice Managers Learning Group – Finance 21/22
There are still places available for the second finance 21/22 PMLG 12pm – 2pm on 28th April 2021.
The session will cover:
Contract variation, including QOF.
- Vacs and imms, including shingles.
- Enhanced Services, including LD, care homes.
- Maximising income, diary reminders, target thresholds, prevalence, PCN participation income, payroll and P60’s, SD55, rates, CQC reimbursement.
- Flu programme and preparations.
As ever, the session will be a safe space for PMs to raise any current challenges and an opportunity to share best practice with your peers.
For information, please email Kyra Rowlatt on: kyra.rowlatt@nhs.net
GP Assistant (previously Medical Assistant) Training Programme: fully funded between May 21 – Oct 21 via MS Teams!
Barnet and Enfield Training Hubs are delighted to be offering a fourth cohort of the GP Assistant Training Programme. The GP Assistants will be trained in:
- Sorting and prioritising clinical post – extract & code relevant information
- Improved confidence in digital consultation triage
- Medical Terminology (introduction and advanced)
- Facilitating follow-up appointments and onward referrals.
- Completing straightforward (non-opinion) forms for GPs to approve and sign.
- Supporting the practice with population health monitoring/ QOF data.
- Undertaking quality improvement within practice/PCN.
Benefits to the practice include:
- Reducing GP workload
- Releasing time for patient clinical care
- Providing career development for staff to aid retention
Please refer to the Flyer and further information attached and if you would like to nominate a member of your team to take part, please email: barnet.cepnadmin@nhs.net
Customer Service and Conflict Resolution for Reception and Admin staff via MS Teams!
Tuesday, 20th April 10am – 1pm
Thursday, 22nd April 1pm – 4pm
Wednesday, 28th April 1pm – 4pm
By the end of the workshop delegates will be able to:
- Recognise barriers to good communication.
- See the importance of excellent internal communication and the positive effect this has on service delivery.
- Enhance awareness of your response to different conflict situations and personality types and the effect this can have when dealing with challenging situations.
- Manage and understand the expectations, feelings, fears and needs of the patients.
- Exhibit more confidence, motivation and control when dealing with challenging situations and complaints.
- Understand the difference between assertive, aggressive and passive behaviour
For more detail, please contact Emily: barnet.cepnadmin@nhs.net
Physician Associate Student Placement opportunity
Hertfordshire university would like to expand their primary care placement in Barnet area for Physician Associate students.
There are three blocks of placement in total over two years:
Year 1: 2 weeks in February;
Year 2: 5 weeks between January to March and 2 weeks in July.
They are currently looking for a practice to accommodate two final year students for the block 3 placement between 19th July- 31st July 2021.
The students showed great interest in potential employment in Barnet primary care.
If you have queries, please contact Huitong Jiao who is the Physician Associate Ambassador at Barnet & Enfield by early May via the email address: huitong.jiao@nhs.net