Chair Update
Dear Members, Colleagues & Patients,
Welcome to our latest newsletter.
I’d just like to update you on the changes being made at Fed in light of the reduced income streams we face in the coming year. The Board has approved the move to a smaller senior executive team and an amalgamation of some managerial roles. In addition the Board, including myself have halved our time commitment and are, currently, not actively looking to replace vacancies as we become more strategically aligned with the GP Cabinet.
This has been a difficult process for our organisation and I would like to thank everyone for their patience as we worked through all our options. We will keep our structure under close review as we go through the transition period and beyond to ensure that we can respond to any opportunities that may arise. I will keep you posted.
This month the Fed was able to provide more appointments in the bridging service during the bank holidays around the King’s coronation which were well used. For the coming bank holiday on the 29th of May we have increased our capacity again. Just to remind you that this service has been commissioned from October 2022 to September 2023.
I am really pleased to announce that the first cohort of practice managers have completed their IGPM accreditation. I’d like to extend my congratulations to all of you.
Earlier this year we wrote to practices about turning on the ‘Consultation Write Back’ function in EMIS Community. This would allow coded data and notes from hub consultations to be automatically updated on you patient records. In the end we did not receive the required agreement from all practices across our PCNs. Consequently we will not be progressing with this.
Finally I am hoping to be able to invite to our AGM in the summer as soon as our accounts have been finalised. Please look out for the day in your emails.
All the best till next month,
Dr Ahmer Farooqi
Headlines
PCN EA Update
- The Federation is providing some sub-contracted activity to PCNs 1D and 6.
- Reporting on available slots has been implemented on EA subcontracted activity and the information is being shared three times per week with PCN colleagues.
SMI Physical Health Checks
- We are pleased to announce the continuation of the first quarter (Q1).
- Please be reminded that you will receive a payment of £53 per completed health check, up to your maximum allocation for your practice. Any activity above the allocated level will not be eligible for payment. please view the SMI Coding.
Ken Porter Ward
The service provides a fortnightly ward round by a senior GP and is performing well with no reported issues.
BFG Recruiting for Sub-contract Services
- We are actively recruiting all types of clinicians and health professionals to work in our sub-contract services
- We provide competitive rates of pay and offer a varied selection of weekday, evening, and weekend shifts
- Opportunities exist for home working in some circumstances
- Please contact barnet.federation@nhs.net if you would like to know more
Date for your diary – Pan Barnet Event
Wednesday 7th June 2023 at 13.00 – Practical Tips for Wellbeing in Practices & GP Contract changes 2023/2024
Click here to join the meeting
For further practice support, training information and research updates please see below
Support For Our Practices
Welcome to our vacancy board – Do you have a vacancy or looking for a role in Barnet?
Advertising job opportunities via the Federation website!
Practices and professionals seeking job opportunities in Barnet can advertise through our website on our Pan Barnet Noticeboard: https://barnetfederatedgps.org.uk/pan-barnet-recruitment
Practice Support GP Sessions
The Federation recognises that colleagues in the Primary Care will take leave during the summer holiday period. We are pleased to announce that we are offering Practice Support GP sessions to practices looking for GP cover or additional GP capacity.
This offer is made available to all our member practices, as part of our core values of supporting all practices equally.
Please use the online request form at the following link to make a request. Kindly request 1 session at a time. When you click submit, you will be given the option to submit another form. This is to ensure that all requests are managed as effectively as possible. https://forms.office.com/e/R29sdbY7KM
If requested, we will endeavour to fill sessions within practice hours, but may also offer support during EA hours (18.30-21.00) as an alternative if we are not able to fill the sessions in hours. The sessions run as follows:
- Sessions are telephone and video consultations only, with GPs working remotely.
- Sessions are created in EMIS Community and booked into using the same process as for Federation EA appointments (though the slots will be reserved only for the individual practice requesting the session).
- A discharge summary for each patient is sent to the practice.
- Appointments are 15mins, similar to EAS sessions.
- Federation administrators will provide support to the GP during the session.
The total cost is £115.00/hour – this would cover the cost of the GP hours, as well as the administration and governance costs associated with putting on the sessions, as we provide a full service similar to Enhanced Access. Please note this is an increased rate to cover the associated administration. This is subject to us successfully sourcing GPs to fill the sessions and all the sessions are conducted remotely. We would of course, only charge for the sessions that were successfully provided. If you request a session but later find that the session will no longer be required, you must notify the Federation with at least 48 hours’ notice prior to the start of the session. If we do not receive this notification, we may still charge you for the session, as we will be required to pay the GP for their time. For any queries, please email barnetfederatedgps.services@nhs.net
Phlebotomy Service
- We are pleased to announce the continuation of funding to support the phlebotomy provision in Barnet Primary Care.
- The support offer supersedes the previous arrangements and consists only of a centralised reporting and payments management function. This will streamline the process and reduce the administration compared to the previous service offering.
- Please note, the change in rate for bleed is £3 per completed bleed. However, to support with the aggregate reporting and release of payments, there will be a 1% charge.
- The Federation will be in contact with the respective PCN leads to confirm the process for aggregate reporting and payment mechanism.
Training Information and Opportunities
For all Barnet Training Hub events and training opportunities, please visit: https://www.barnetcepn.org.uk/
Barnet Educators Peer Network launched
We are pleased to announce our Peer Network for Barnet Educators has been launched with a couple of online learning and networking sessions delivered. It has been led by Dr Rakhee Shah in collaboration our leads from all disciplines in Primary Care.
There is another session planned on June 13th at 1330-1430 and is focussed on interprofessional supervision. If you missed the first session in May about understanding the ARRs roles you can watch the recording here https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1ROs2B1Y2WfVwlT9Ozhqxe4mcOE3PmuA
You are welcome to join any of the sessions and there is also a whatsapp group for the Barnet Educators – this is for all educators/supervisors/trainers for all clinical and non clinical health care staff – https://chat.whatsapp.com/G9kO4QVRy5zDRbqV0h7KSm
For further information, please see the poster.
Expression of Interest – For host sites to support Pharmacists on independent prescribing (IP) training
The North Central London (NCL) Integrated Pharmacy and Medicines Optimisation (IPMO) Workforce Group invites expressions of interest to participate in an HEE-funded project as a placement site for pharmacists undergoing independent prescribing training. The deadline is the 2nd June 2023
For more information, please see the EOI here. Alternatively, if you have any questions or queries, please email: Barnet.cepnadmin@nhs.net
Barnet Training hub with the Medicine Management Team present monthly Pharmacy Education sessions
The new monthly education sessions for Barnet’s Pharmacy workforce are underway and have been superbly attended. 2 have been delivered so far – Anticoagulation with Pharmacist Kazwia Lateef in April and CQC/ADHD with Pharmacist Nisha Patel. If you missed either of them and would like to watch them please do here – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1ROs2B1Y2Wf0VtzsfHO-kQvnx5tX4IMR
The next one is on 21.6.23 at 1300-1400 and is on Type 2 Diabetes. More details will follow on the learning outcomes. If you would like more information or have any queries about the training please contact Dr Will Meyer – the GP Pharmacy Lead for Barnet – w.meyer@nhs.net
Specialist Pharmacy Service: Primary Care Resources Webinar
This webinar has been organised to support NCL clinicians access NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service (SPS) primary care resources.
Learning outcomes include:
- Understand the SPS resources available to primary care clinicians
- Practical exercises on how to access specialist information
- How to use the tools (medicines monitoring, MCA stability tools)
- How to register for events/the weekly SPS email
Date and time: 20th June, 1 – 1.45pm
Webinar link: https://www.ncltraininghub.org/events/specialist-pharmacy-service-primary-care-resources-webinar
For further details, please see the NCL webinar flyer. Alternatively, if you have any questions or queries, please email: Asra.ahmed@nhs.net
Prescribing Clerk Course Launched
Our Prescribing Clerk course for 2023 has launched. We have a full cohort including our 8 PTPTs from across NCL joining the sessions.
This year’s facilitators are GPs Dr Jo Yong, Dr Nam Ghandi and Pharmacist Saijal Ladd with guest facilitators from Community Pharmacist Yesim Dilek and our Barnet MMT team. The topics cover medicine waste, the prescription journey, repeat prescriptions, digital tools, support to patients and practice plus more.
The intro to the course has been held and we were thrilled to meet so many of our colleagues across the borough ready to get started.
Should you have any questions or queries, please email: Barnet.cepnadmin@nhs.net
Year 4 Medicine in the Community Teaching with UCL Medical School
Our team of Facilitators and Patient as Educators has completed the penultimate session for this academic year on the 19.5.23 with the final session on 23.6.23. With over 250 students completing the interactive roleplay based sessions focussed on Patient consultations; learning about communication, pathways and the golden minute. We are thrilled to be continuing this partnership with UCL Medical School. We are always looking for more facilitators and patients so please do get in touch with Dr Jo Yong if you are interested and would like more information. We would like to thank all our team for their input, enthusiasm and engagement who without which these sessions would not be the same.
If you have any queries, please email, Dr Joanna Yong – Joanna.yong@nhs.net
EOI’s welcomed: NCL PA Mentorship Training Programme
NCL are committed to the ongoing professional development of PAs in primary care and the NCL Training Hub are developing a PA Mentorship programme to support the PA preceptorships.
The NCL Training Hub is looking to recruit experienced PAs working in NCL who are interested to expand their portfolios in leadership, mentorship and coaching.
Closing date for application: Sunday 25th June
Interview date: Tuesday 18th July
Queries: Chaima Hale, NHSE NCL Physician Associate Ambassador, chaima.hale1@nhs.net
If you are a PA, interested in becoming a mentor, please complete the expression of interest form: https://forms.office.com/e/jN1XAfyZMc
Research
Research Studies for Barnet GP Practices
Current studies
IBPI
Aim: To assess whether providing parents with bipolar disorder (BD) with online parenting support leads to their children having fewer behaviour problems.
Benefits: Remuneration of £200 + additional screening costs
Practice involvement: Database search, participant screening, recruitment text-out
INTERACT2
Aim: To identify the Prevalence of Social Isolation & Loneliness in the Community Setting Across England
Benefits: Remuneration of £200
Practice involvement: Database search, participant screening, recruitment text-out
UNITY (PrEP in Pharmacy)
Aim: To investigate the attitudes and perceptions of the general public towards the use and provision of PrEP in Pharmacy
Benefits: Remuneration of £200
Practice involvement: Database search, participant screening, recruitment text-out
For more information, please feel free to contact: David Jones at Noclor on davidjones@nhs.net OR Narendra Samarasekara on narendra.samarasekara@nhs.net