Chair Update
We would like to congratulate Caroline O’Dwyer and Dr Nick Mistry on their selection to the Barnet Federated GPs board as directors.
We would like to thank Dr Thivyan Thiruudaian for his tremendous work over the last 4 years as a Director for BFG. He has been an invaluable member of the team and we wish him success in his next venture.
We are also incredibly pleased to announce that Michael Whitworth will be carrying on as Chief Executive Officer for BFG until the end of September 2021. I can also confirm that I have been reselected as Barnet Federated GPs Chair for a further 2 years.
I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank all the clinicians, managers and administrators who have been working so hard through Barnet Federated GPs to ensure our services continue to run during what has been our most challenging year to date. We have set up and expanded our services at great pace to meet the needs of our patients and thank everyone who has come forward to work in them and continues to support them. This has been done in true collaboration with all Barnet providers as well as sharing and learning across the NCL Federation network. We thank you as members for your continued support and we should all feel proud of the work that has been achieved in these difficult times.
Stay safe and well!
Patients
PPG – Your underused resource!
A PPG provides a means of communication between a medical practice and its patients, to help the former understand the concerns and meet the needs of the latter. Too few practices in Barnet have active PPGs, thus depriving themselves of an important form of support and a way of disseminating information. The PPG, a benefit often overlooked, is a group of patients and GP practice staff meeting to discuss practice issues, topics of mutual interest and patient experience. Patients become involved, share their experiences and the most important issues affecting their surgeries and the services they get as patients. Crucial to engaging patients is the attitude of the practice and the attendance and participation of doctors and staff at PPG meetings.
Patients’ goodwill and experience is a powerful resource on your doorstep – use it!
If you require further information, please email: barnetpatientgroup@nhs.net
Support For Our Practices
Date for your diary – Pan Barnet event
7th April 2021 – Further details will be circulated soon.
Supporting the provision of COVID vaccines to housebound patients!
BFG have offered to support PCNs with the administration of providing COVID vaccines to housebound patients, working with the hubs and CLCH by providing the administration of this provision and coordinating the visits. This involves running a report to identify the patient cohorts, working with PCNs to validate this information, contacting the patients, booking the visits, and coordinating with vaccine hubs and CLCH to supply the vaccine and arrange the visits.
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/
We are pleased to announce that we have helped 2 member practices to recruit their staff and a Salaried GP has recently been recruited by one of our members practices through our website.
Salaried GP
We are currently recruiting for a Salaried GP to work in EAS and other Federation services. Please refer to the attached Job Description for more details, or email barnet.federation@nhs.net.
Services – Information You Need To Know
Extended Hours Service (EHS) Updates .
BFG provides the Extended Hours Service (EHS) to member practices opting into the Federation offer for this service. As we are approaching the new financial year, a revised offer has been developed alongside our PCN colleagues and sent out to all practices and PCNs.
The main benefits of this offer to our 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.
Practices are requested to inform your PCN CD(s) if you are opting into this offer.
The final list of practices must be sent by PCNs by 5pm Monday 15th March to allow us to plan and deliver this service from April.
Please refer to the attached communication email for more details.
EAS Appointments Provision and how to Access them
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.
Thank you for your assistance with this.
Rapid Response and Care Home Step-Down Support
BFG has been working in partnership with CLCH and member practices to deliver two new innovative services.
In collaboration with member practices, GPs have been providing remote support to the Rapid Response team, with the service running 08.00-20.00 Monday-Sunday. Discussions are ongoing regarding extending this service from April, for which the feedback from CLCH, member practices, and BFG staff has been very positive.
Additionally, BFG and member practices have been supporting CLCH with the Step-Down Service at Apthorpe Care Centre. This has supported the timely discharge of patients from hospital at times of increased system pressures and again the service, which is scheduled to come to an end on 31st March, has been very positive.
Training Hub Updates
Induction programme for new Primary Care staff
Barnet Primary Care Training Hub is offering an induction programme which is available to all new primary care staff in Barnet, with the aim of improving the experience of starting a new role in primary care and enhancing workforce retention. The induction includes a written induction pack, a live remote initial induction session, and follow up through the first year of employment. To enrol yourself or a member of your staff into the programme and to be sent an induction pack please contact the Training Hub at barnet.cepnadmin@nhs.net
Training – Growing our own Nursing workforce!
The current cohort of six General Practice Nurse Trainees from Barnet completed their programme at the end of January 2021 and gained a post graduate qualification in Specialist Community Nursing (GPN). This year, more than any previous years, we need to celebrate their success and acknowledge the contributions of the collaboration between Barnet TH, Barnet Federation and the CCG. Five of these nurses are now employed by practices in Barnet.
I am also delighted to let you know that two GPNs have been awarded the QNI Ellen Mary Prize for outstanding achievement as a GPN student. The students are Hasna Ramdani at Dr Azim & Partners and Morgan Rodgers at Watling Medical Centre
GPN Trainee programme comes with HEE funding. A GPN trainee in practice has the added benefit of having a qualified Nurse able to do the general Nursing duties whilst on placement.
Practices who are interested in GPN Training programme should contact Amita Shah for further information about the funding available: amitashah@nhs.net