Download this week’s GP Weekly Update here which features the following:
- COVID-19 Update
- Vaccination of housebound patients
- Reporting COVID-19 cases in vaccinated individuals
- New Patient registration and the homeless
- Domestic abuse
- Tackling child sexual abuse strategy 2021
- CQC mythbusters
- The importance of near miss reporting
- NHS health and wellbeing support for all staff
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Alternatively, you can read the update here:
COVID-19 Update
- Vaccination of Housebound Patients
Vaccination of housebound patients (such as those unable to leave their home at all or require significant assistance to leave the house due to illness, frailty, surgery, mental ill health or nearing end of life) requires additional time and resources. Therefore, NHS England is providing an additional supplement of £10 per visit to a housebound patient to administer the COVID-19 vaccinations. This supplement is on top of the £12.58 Item of Service fee. Further details are included in this letter to local vaccination centres.
- Reporting COVID-19 Cases in Vaccinated Individuals
Clinicians who are seeing partially or fully vaccinated patients face to face should report any confirmed COVID-19 cases to Public Health England if the patient tested positive within the preceding 7 days. Reporting criteria and details on how to report cases is available here.
New Patient Registration and the Homeless
Although there are some restrictions during the pandemic on face-to-face contact, Practices should still register new patients (within their catchment area) to ensure they receive necessary care and are prioritised for the COVID-19 vaccine. Practices are reminded that they should not be turning people away who try to register without proof of ID/address or immigration status. People who are homeless often face difficulties when trying to access primary care and Homelessness Training for GP Receptionists is available which provides simple tips to support patients and shows how important access to a doctor can be for a person who has lost their home. New patients should be offered an initial health assessment to identify vulnerability to COVID-19 and code as CEV, and the housing status codes should be used if they are homeless. This guidance is being included in the QCS Patient Registration and Identity Check Policy and Procedure.
Domestic Abuse
The NSPCC has released figures on calls to their helpline from adults worried about children living with domestic abuse. Figures show that a monthly average of 930 calls about domestic abuse were received in the period since lockdown restrictions were implemented (1 April – 31 December 2020), 53% higher than the pre-lockdown average. Practices should make information available online about how people can access help if they need it, and clinicians can find out more about Domestic Abuse Recovering Together (DART) to help families deal with the impact of domestic abuse, especially during lockdown.
Tackling
Strategy 2021
The coronavirus pandemic has made it more difficult for some children who have experienced sexual abuse to access the help and support they need. The recently published Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy sets out the government’s vision for preventing, tackling and responding to child sexual abuse of all kinds, whether it’s committed in person or online, in families or communities, in this country or overseas. It is vital that anyone involved in safeguarding shares information, knowledge and insight to assess risk and prevent harm, particularly when it comes to concerns for a child’s safety. The Child Protection Information Sharing system will be expanded from unscheduled healthcare settings to all health settings, including GPs, by 2023, in line with the NHS Long Term Plan.
Please ensure that all staff read the QCS Safeguarding Children and Child Protection Policy and Procedure to help them understand how to identify when a child is at risk of harm, or is already being harmed, and take appropriate and effective action.
CQC Mythbusters
There have been several updates to Nigel’s Surgery: Tips and mythbusters for GP Practices and we will provide a guide in our next GP update. In the meantime, the latest MythBusters are available on the CQC website.
The Importance of Near Miss Reporting
Napthens, one of our partner organisations, has produced a short (8 minute) podcast on The Importance of Near Miss Reporting. There is an explanation of what near misses are, why they are important, the relevant legal duties and the consequences of failing to learn lessons from near misses. This podcast link has also been included in the QCS Risk Management Policy and Procedure for future reference.
NHS Health and Wellbeing Support for All Staff
Just a reminder that, in these really difficult times, Our NHS People has a raft of resources, confidential support numbers and bite-sized learning guides available to help you manage your own health and wellbeing whilst looking after others.