Chair Update
It’s an incredibly challenging time in the NHS especially in Primary Care where the demand has been at an all time high. We have been supporting our Practices with all the services we have been delivering across Barnet as well as some of the administrative support for PCNs and practices. The small team of Federation staff supported by all our clinicians and administrative team have managed to ensure delivery of more appointments for patients than ever. I would like to thank all the team and practices in their continued support for the federation.
The federation continues to be involved in local and strategic discussions in shaping the future of delivery of at-scale services in Barnet and we are continually evolving on this journey. The forthcoming months will be crucial in the journey of developing a unified Primary care voice in Barnet. The membership, along with the LMC, PCNs and Training Hub will be crucial in shaping these conversations.
Stay safe and well!
Anuj
Dr Anuj Patel
Headlines
New BFG Website!
We are pleased to announce that our new website has been launched! Please click on the link for the latest news and information:
https://barnetfederatedgps.org.uk/
EMIS Migration Updates
A number of issues were identified during the migration of EMIS some of which have been resolved. The reporting of activity data for the service has been impacted and as a result we are not able to provide a detailed breakdown for July. However, we envisage to be able to provide the breakdown per practice and PCN for August in due course.
Rota Management Update
We have created a designated email for all rota queries and communications. The email address is bfgrota@nhs.net This email address is accessible by multiple staff in the team and will be the only inbox for rota related conversations and communications from the 1st October. We are also working on a new, robust process to streamline up our rota management procedures. The services inbox will continue to be used for all other queries.
Opportunity for GPs interested in working in the BFG EAS service
BFGs will be onboarding new sessional GPs into the EAS service. If you would like to find out more about the onboarding process as well as sessions and how to book them, please refer to the attached information. If you are interested in joining the Federation, please email: barnet.federation@nhs.net
Supporting the provision of COVID vaccines to housebound patients!
We are no longer accepting referrals for this service. Ongoing discussions with the CCG and system partners regarding the provision of covid vaccinations for this patient cohort.
Dates for your diary
6th October 2021, 13.00-13.45 – Integrated Care Partnerships (ICPs). Please see link below to join the event on the day:
Click here to join the meeting
For further practice support, training information and research updates please see below
Support For Our Practices
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.
Anticoagulation Pharmacist and Nurse
We are looking to recruit an Anticoagulation Pharmacist and Nurse for the Federation service. Please visit our website for more information and link to the job adverts: https://barnetfederatedgps.org.uk/recruitment-opportunities/
EAS Appointments Provision and Service Updates
Appointments Provision and how to access them
Appointments are released at the following times:
- Monday-Friday – 10.00 & 15.00 (on the day of the appointment)
- Saturday – 08:00 (on Thursday)
- Sunday – 08:00 (on Friday)
Alternatively, patients can book directly through the appointment booking line – 020 3948 6809 – 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 updated process for step-by-step guidance or for more information on bookings appointments, please email barnetfederatedgps.services@nhs.net.
EAS Service Update
EMIS migration – please see updated guide for booking EAS appointments
- Need to select “NCL Barnet Federated GPs Limited” as the organisation, slot types remain the same
EMIS migration update – The Federation migrated to a new version of EMIS in July.
There have been some issues during and post migration, more detailed information can be found in the attachment.
Nurse appointments now available in EAS – slot type “EAS Practice Nurse”.
- Face-to-face appointments at Oak Lodge Medical Centre and Wentworth Medical Practice. Please see attached document for information on what patients can be seen for in these appointments.
Anticoagulation
The service offers specialist advice on all issues related to anticoagulant therapies and provides on-going monitoring for patients on anticoagulants. Please visit out website for your nearest clinic as well as the operating days: https://barnetfederatedgps.org.uk/anticoagulation/
Training Information and Opportunities
Training Hub – monthly events to look out for!
The Barnet Training Hub offers monthly virtual Pan Barnet events on Microsoft Teams on the first Wednesday of every month at lunchtime. As well as addressing relevant and interesting educational topics each week, these meetings provide an effective, regular and enjoyable way of bringing together the wider team in primary care to learn as one and to share experiences, particularly in the context of remote consulting. These meetings also provide updates from the CCG, Federation, Training Hub and Medicines Management, and highlight key new services in Barnet. We aim to make these meetings as interactive and engaging as possible. We usually have over 120 attendees, and a multi-professional audience is encouraged – so all welcome!
If you would like to be added to the invite list for these events, please contact: barnet.cepnadmin@nhs.net
Seven new mental health practitioners for primary care
Recruitment is underway for new mental health practitioners to work in GP surgeries in Barnet as part of the NHS programme to transform community mental health care.
Each primary care network will have a dedicated practitioner who’ll work with GPs to assess, diagnose and treat adults with severe mental illness. They’ll also connect patients with planned neighbourhood mental health teams offering integrated mental health care and support.
The practitioners are employed by Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust and part-funded by Barnet’s seven primary care networks. Barnet GP Lead for Mental Health Dr Louise Miller is on the Trust’s recruitment panel.
More information about the community transformation programme can be found on the Trust’s website. Alternatively, if you would like to speak to a member of the team please contact: Ray Dunne (Communication Lead at North central London Community Mental Health Transformation) on 07895 674831 or Dr Louise Miller
(Barnet GP Lead for Mental Health) on 020 8937 7727
GP Community Pharmacy Consultation service (CPCS) webinar for Practices – 5th October 1-2pm
The GP referral to the NHS Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (GP CPCS) is a new pathway that practices can use to refer patients with minor illness, for a same day consultation with a community pharmacist.
The NCL Training Hub and Medicines Management Team, NCL CCG are running a webinar on 5th October from 1-2pm to give more information to GPs, Clinical Pharmacists and Practice Managers about the service. Speakers will include:
- Amalin Dutt, Head of Medicines Management Team (NCL CCG, Islington borough)
- Dr Farzad Entikabi, GP Partner Swiss Cottage Surgery & Clinical Director Central Camden Primary Care Network
- Richard Brown, Chief Officer of Avon LPC
To book please Click here to register on Eventbrite.
For more information about the service, please see attached and if you would like to express an interest in becoming an early adopter please contact your LPC representative via: group@middlesexpharmacy.org
Nursing Rising Star Award
The award will be presented to a UK nurse Julie who is keen to be a rising star, showing passion and care for patients with a focus for the best outcomes for citizens. The person who wins the award could be at any stage of their nursing career. Please consider whether any of you would like to apply for this or nominate a colleague.
For more information, please see attachment.
NCL Nursing Educators are shortlisted for 2021 Nursing Times Award
Congratulations to our NCL Nurse Educators for being shortlisted for Nursing Times 2021 ‘Nursing in Social Care award’ for Innovative work introducing remote monitoring in care homes during the pandemic using the Whzan system. The panel were impressed by the level of thought and engagement that had gone into the work, as well as our data and stories about what this data has meant for our residents and staff across NCL. They would like us to share our learning and share our journey and story across the UK and further afield.
The award will be announced on 27th October. For further details, please email Sharon Ralph (NCL Communications and Engagement Lead) on: sharon.ralph1@nhs.net
Children and Young People: Paediatric Respiratory Masterclass – 20th October 2021 1-2pm
Please join us at a Paediatric Respiratory Masterclass. Speakers include:
- Dr John Moreiras Consultant Paediatrician Whittington Health
- Dr Shubhasree Mukherjee Consultant Paediatrician Royal Free
- Dr Santanu Maity Consultant Paediatrician Royal Free
- Chaired by Dr David Masters GP Haringey CYP Lead
Please bring cases and questions you’d also wanted to ask! No need to pre-register. Please see link below to join the meeting on the day:
Click here to join the meeting
For further details, please see attached or contact Sharon Ralph (NCL Communications and Engagement Lead) on: sharon.ralph1@nhs.net
First Steps to Care programme for Healthcare Assistants
- Are you a new Healthcare Assistant?
- Are you already a Healthcare Assistant but require more training to reinforce your skills?
- Are you interested to learn more clinically to enhance your patient care?
The ‘First Steps to Care’ programme is the first step to an avenue of possibilities. It is 12-month programme for healthcare assistants new to general practice or for those already established to hone their skills with the theoretical training they may have not received. We want to ensure that you are fully confident in your position and this programme can offer that foundation for you to grow.
It also links with both the nurse associate programme or the Higher Development Award if you want to progress your career further in the future.
Please see the programme outline attached for details on how to sign up. Any queries please contact: Nicole.greenaway@nhs.net.
LMC Survey
You may all be aware of the current situation of violence towards practice staff at a practice in Manchester last week. In light of that and the issues that have happened in London, the North Central London CCG would like to establish what resources/protocols/good practice/training your practice may have in place to deal with aggression towards staff that they could potentially share across London. Alongside this, the NCL CCG would also like to ask what resources or training you might find useful in dealing with this, and/or any risks you may have identified that could feed into what might be offered.
Any nugget of information is welcome, please respond direct to: ann.ayamah@lmc.org.uk so your colleagues are not inundated with emails. Your help with this will be very much appreciated.
Cervical Screening Update
Please see attached Database update and comms. It contains important information for nurses and doctors who take samples as part of the NHS Cervical Screening Programme and for Practice Managers about the Cervical Screening Database (CSTD). Urgent action is needed by all sample takers to ensure that their correct contact details and training certificates are uploaded onto the database
Please remember to make sure your sample taker code is clearly written on all request forms, or the sample may be reported as inadequate will need to be repeated
If you have any queries, please email: csl.cstd@nhs.net
Research
Noclor and Barnet Research Network – Barnet Study Updates!
BRN Expansion
Please welcome our newest addition to the BRN team – Dr. Mary Tran – who is a GP based at The Phoenix Practice. She has joined as part of the GP Research SPIN Fellowship Programme and will be supporting research activities in the BRN, in collaboration with Noclor.
Current research activity
Abbott Panbio Covid-19 Antibody Self-test – Millway Medical Practice have successfully recruited 50 patients! Panbio Covid-19 will look into investigating the capability of professionals and non-professionals to self-test and read their results using a Covid-19 self-test device. Bloods will also be taken to measure the device’s ability to correctly detect antibodies. This has been an extraordinary team effort with support from GPs, the practice manager, administrators and our Primary Care team at Noclor.
For further information, please contact Deborah Onabajo (Primary Care Research Co-ordinator) on: barccg.barnetresearchnetwork@nhs.net or 020 7685 5909