Chair Update
Dear Colleagues, Members & Patients,
There has been something reassuringly familiar as our appointment lists become dominated by the wave of feverish children with coughs and colds. Previously we have been able to flex and absorb these spikes in demand but this is no longer the case. Covid and it’s after effects remain ever present. Workload rebounding from elsewhere makes up a significant proportion of our work and other administrative workload seems never ending. Couple this with increasing patient expectations, vilification in parts of press, increasing practice expenses and difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff makes working in General Practice feel like an uphill struggle.
Many of you may have heard of the Fuller review which, earlier this year, made some recommendations on how we might implement integrated teams in primary care. One of the priority areas is Same Day Access and Urgent care. As part of my role on NCLs GP Provider Alliance, I am working with colleagues on how this priority area could be better delivered in our boroughs and PCNs. As ever the limiting factors will be funding, workforce, estates IT and most of all patient awareness. I would welcome your thoughts and ideas on how you are managing on-the-day demand in your practices and PCNs. I’m aware there is no single, all encompassing solution. Different practice and PCN populations as well as different patient cohorts will require different approaches.
Please contact me by email and let me know how you are facing these challenges (or not!) and I will relay your feedback through the GPPA to the ICB board and help inform how on-the-day demand could be better managed.
On a separate note, I would like to highlight the work Caroline and Jacqui (our PM board members) are doing to support many of our practice managers, through the regular coffee mornings. Caroline is the London rep for the Institute of General Practice Managers who have recently launched an accreditation programme. To promote the professional development of our PMs, the Federation will support them through the process of obtaining this accreditation culminating in the award of membership of the institute (MIGPM). Further information can be found here https://igpm.org.uk/accreditation/
I know the run up to the Christmas break is going to be really busy for all of us. Look after yourselves, stay well and good luck!
Best wishes
Dr Ahmer Farooqi
Patients
A PCN Initiative
We know that every medical practice is meant to have a Patient Participation Group (PPG), composed of representatives of the patients and the clinical staff, who, ideally, work together to help improve the services at the practice. We also know that, unfortunately, not all practices in the borough have an active PPG. Therefore, PCN 2 is planning to establish meetings with clinical representatives of all 12 of its member practices and patient representatives from their existing PPGs. The aim is to help establish PPGs in those practices where they do not yet exist, to share best practices and work together to address issues affecting all PCN members and their patients, and to help patient representatives to work well with clinicians. The inaugural meeting will be held early in the new year.
For further details, please contact Barbara Jacobson on: b.jacobsons@btinternet.com
Headlines
For the interest of Practice Managers / Members of Staff – IGPM Accreditation
We recently reached out to all Barnet Practice Managers to inform them that the Federation would like to support them as well as all other members of staff for the accreditation of IGPM – accreditation and essential membership will be funded by the Federation. All those who have expressed an interest will receive further communications from us in due course.
Alternatively, if you would also like to express an interest in joining the accreditation scheme, please email: Barnet.federation@nhs.net. Further details about the scheme can be found here.
SMI Checks
The Federation is pleased to be able to continue to support practices with the SMI health checks. We will shortly be working with commissioners to look at opportunities to gather more data to further enhance the quality of the service.
Anticoagulation
An update on whether there will be a service extension, or a re-procurement is expected soon. In the meantime, the service continues to operate well with an effective mix of clinical pharmacists providing good quality service delivery.
In-hours Practice Support
Additional sessions throughout December are now in high demand. The Federation will do our best to support this, subject to available workforce. While sessions will continue to be filled on a first come first served basis, we will make every effort to balance the workforce across practices.
For all GP Practices!
Please ensure when booking patients into Federation services following an e-consult submitted to the practice, that the e-consult is saved in the patients notes. This ensures that the information is available to the GP during the appointment avoiding confusion, reducing patient frustration and helping the service stay on schedule.
BFG Recruiting for BFG Extended Access (EA) service
BFGs will be onboarding new sessional GPs into the EA service. If you would like to find out more about the onboarding process as well as sessions and how to book them or would like to join the Federation, please email: barnet.federation@nhs.net
Date for your diary
Wednesday 7th December 2022 at 13.00 – Urgent Care Planning in End-of-Life Care
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/
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.
Extended Access
The new Extended Access service has continued into November and continues to work well.
GP appointments will continue to be telephone or video consultations in the first instance, and the patient will be booked for a face-to-face appointment if needed.
Over the last couple of weeks, we have been asked for reminders on the opening hours and appointment release times for the service. Please see a summary below:
Patients can still access the service by calling NHS 111 or the Federation call centre number, 020 3948 6809. These appointments have been commissioned separately and are not part of the PCN EA service.
Hubs are open as follows:
Weekdays 6:30pm to 9:00pm
Saturday 9:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday 8:00am – 8:00pm
Weekday appointments are same day bookable and released in two phases at 10:00am and 3:00pm.
Saturday appointments are released in two phases, on Monday at 8:00am and Wednesday at 8:00am.
If you have any questions or queries, please contact our services team on: barnetfederatedgps.services@nhs.net
Training Information and Opportunities
For all Barnet Training Hub events and training opportunities, please visit: https://www.barnetcepn.org.uk/
Congratulations to the PCN2 Digital Innovation Team – Winners of the London Digital First Primary Care Automation Grants
The innovative PCN2 based team serve more than 100,000 patients and have won grants to pilot the automation of 2 new digital innovations in primary care.
The team consisting of MS Rosalind Erlebach (project manager), Dr Kiran Nakrani, Dr Joanna Yong, Dr Rasha Gadelrab, Dr Nausheen Hameed and Dr Kalpesh Patel have secured digital partners with Blueprism, E-18 and the award winning Royal Free team headed up by Darren Atkins – Chief Technology Officer.
Using Blue Prism’s cloud-based intelligent software they aim to automate the clinical document workflow process and the 2-ww safety netting process.
By evolving digital transformation in Primary Care, we can offer safer and more efficient care. The aim is to create sustainable working models which will support the delivery of service provision to create better patient access and outcomes.
The innovative team aim to shape the future of digital transformation in Primary Care for the benefit of patients and healthcare professionals alike, ensuring patient safety and patient care remains at the forefront of all innovations.
Job Opportunity: Quality Improvement Facilitator (x 2 roles)
Closing date: 11/12/2022
Queries: ryan.stangroom@nhs.net
This is an exciting opportunity to lead the preparations for the Long-Term Conditions (LTC) Locally Commissioned Service (LCS) in NCL. By embedding Quality Improvement methodologies within local GP practices, this will aid in supporting patients to better manage their own long-term conditions and support the improvement in health and life expectancy across North Central London.
The post holder will be responsible for developing relationships with stakeholders (internal and external) to support the development of a Quality Improvement network, identifying ways that patient care, patient experience and clinical practice can be improved specifically related to Long Term Condition Management. They will also work with other TH QI facilitators to manage this process on a wider NCL scale and provide guidance to Business Change Facilitators to ensure that business change activities are aligned to supporting improvements in clinical practice – the full job description has been attached.
The roles will be divided as follows:
- 1 role (Enfield/Haringey)
- 1 role (Barnet)
For further information/to apply: https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/U0002-22-9287
Bullying and Harassment Workshop
HEE are running a fully interactive, new, free half-day workshop to share experiences and consider how we might prevent, respond to and support learners/supervisors affected by Bullying & Harassment in our workplaces.
The session is scheduled for Thursday 23rd February 2023 from 09:30-12:30 and will be face to face.
We aim to enable participants to reflect on their current challenges and consider solutions/practical steps for their teams. The nature of the work and cases discussed will be anonymised, confidential and safe.
Course numbers are limited to 25.
Please forward this flyer onto any educators who may be interested in attending.
Applications for the Mary Seacole Programme are now open
Applications for the Mary Seacole Programme are now open. Please register your interest here
What’s covered?
12 modules covering leadership fundamentals, leading for improvement and management skills.
Who is it for?
First time leaders in healthcare.
You must be able to commit to a minimum of 5 hours of study per week.
Why should I join the programme?
- The Mary Seacole programme is grounded in reality and results in real workplace application.
- It provides balance between learning the theory and putting it into practice.
- It empowers people in their first formal leadership position to turn their success into consistent team success and to champion compassionate patient care.
For further information, please click here or email: tessa.shields@nhs.net
Barnet and Enfield GP Assistant Course underway for 2022-23
Barnet and Enfield boroughs have joined to deliver a GP Assistant course online for a Cohort. 30 attendees from their workforce have been enrolled and they are half way through the course delivered by Barnet GPs with guest support from our learning Partners PMA.
Each student will make a learning portfolio as they progress through the course working with their Practice and mentor to embed their learning and support their day to day operations and the Practice Patients.
There has been great engagement from the attendees demonstrating their wealth of knowledge they have already in Primary care, their enthusiasm for their roles and dedication to improving processes, practice operation and patient care is impressive to witness.
If you have any questions, please contact: Barnet.cepnadmin@nhs.net
Video Group Clinic – Training Technical Facilitators
Date and time: Wednesday 7th December, 14:00 – 16:30
This 90-minute training event is aimed at all members of the practice team involved in implementing, organising and delivering VGCs.
After attending the two and a half hour training session, learners will have:
- Understood what VGC are and how they flow
- Understood how to use MS Teams or similar to set up and run video group clinics
- Understood best practice in relation to the 6 critical success factors for VGCs and planned to address them
- Understood the role a good facilitator plays
- Understood their VGC toolkit
- Learnt helpful strategies to manage group dynamics
- Set a date for first, second and third VGC (within 7 days)
- Gained confidence about getting starter
Register now: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/video-group-clinic-training-technical-facilitators-tickets-407945023547
For further details, please refer to this flyer or email Carolyn Matthews: carolynmatthews@nhs.net
Group Coaching with Your Wellbeing Doctor for GPs returning to work after absence: sign up for 2023!
Dates and times: weekly sessions from 5th January – 9th March
Audience: Qualified GPs
Queries: Ladan.egeh@nhs.net
These free sessions are designed to support GPs wellbeing when transitioning back into a clinical work environment after an extended period of absence due to health or care reasons. The course focuses on the psychological wellbeing of doctors providing mechanisms to enable flourishing within the work environment which can be translated into personal spheres. The ultimate goal is that the wellbeing of the clinician is nurtured, maintained and supported, which in turn, may promote better patient care and outcomes. Please see the attached flyer.