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7 - 13 July 2007
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A Weekly Bulletin of Professional News, Guidance and Policy for Primary Care
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Word Version
Headlines...
- RCGP London Faculties Response to NHS
Review
- Online Learning Modules Support GP
Curriculum
- Applicants Sought for Scientific Foundation
Board Grants
- Updated Guidance for Doctors on Identifying
and Supporting Carers
Guidance featured in Seven Days is uploaded weekly to the
RCGP Non-Clinical Guidance Database for General Practice.
Professional
News
RCGP London Faculties Response to NHS
Review
Sir Ara Darzi, Parliamentary Under
Secretary of State for Health, has published a report on the future
of London’s NHS services. The report proposes to shift patient care
from district hospitals to "polyclinics" - community-based
facilities incorporating GPs and hospital services – and deploy
doctors so they can move easily between hospital and community
settings.
RCGP London Faculties issued a
joint statement in response to these proposals, agreeing with
attempts to tackle fragmentation of care and improve healthcare in
London, whilst highlighting that it is possible to deliver
improvements using a variety of models. Dr Surendra Deo (Chair,
North East London), Professor Paul Thomas (Chair, North & West
London) and Dr John Spicer (Chair, South London) said, “We caution
against the development of “super surgeries” or disease-focused
“polyclinics”, which may simply co-locate individuals without an
underpinning philosophy or vision. General practice is not
something that can be "tagged on" to other specialist services. The
cardinal values of general practice such as interpersonal care and
continuity of care must prevail. Evidence shows that patients want
local personal care rather than being treated as a number - they
want to see a GP they know and who knows them. It is essential to
engage and involve GPs in future discussions. We commend the value
of co-ordination and integration of care led by primary health care
teams and of practices working together in federated models. We
therefore urge London GPs to show constructive leadership and use
this as an opportunity for promoting their own ambitions for
improving patient care.“
Online Learning Modules Support GP
Curriculum
The RCGP, in partnership with
E-learning for Healthcare, is developing online learning
modules to support GP Registrars and trainers using the new GP
training curriculum. The interactive tools will initially focus on
key areas where trainees need additional help and will then be
extended to cover the entire curriculum. The first modules should
be available by August 2008. Commenting on the project, Dr Bill
Reith, Chair of the RCGP Postgraduate Training Board, said that the
modules support training by offering a flexible resource that can
be accessed anywhere, at any time, and be followed at the learner’s
own pace.
Online Learning Modules (RCGP
Website)
Applicants Sought for
Scientific Foundation Board Grants
The College’s Scientific Foundation
Board (SFB) is seeking applicants for its research awards, offered
to people undertaking research projects on the care of patients in
the general practice. The Board recently partnered with
Heart
Research UK and Roche Products
Limited, and is particularly keen to support work
in the field of cardiovascular disease; chronic kidney disease
(CKD); the management of obesity; and osteoporosis. The closing
date for the latest round of submissions is 31 July 2007. Grants
awarded will not exceed £10,000.
Scientific Foundation Board (RCGP
Website)
GPs Awards for Supporting
Unpaid Carers
The Princess Royal Trust for Carers
and Simplyhealth are seeking applicants for the Simplyhealth Caring
Awards, which recognise work by GPs, surgeries and PCTs that
support unpaid carers across the UK. GPs can be nominated or enter
themselves and prizes include a Gold Award of £2,000, a Silver
Award of £1,000 and Bronze Award of £750. Winners are expected to
put half of the money into carer’s support initiatives. The closing
date for applications is 24 September 2007.
Simplyhealth Caring Surgery Award
(Princess Royal Trust for Carers Website)
Code of Practice to Tackle
Fraud in the NHS
The Government is consulting on a
new code of practice to combat financial loss in the NHS through
fraud. The code outlines how counter fraud and security specialists
should obtain information for use in investigating fraud and
security breaches. NHS workers and contractors who fail to provide
documentation or give misleading information could receive a prison
sentence or fine. Fraud experts are instructed to ensure patient
care is not disrupted during their investigation, and that
information is stored securely and not misused. Comments on the
draft code should be sent to counterfraudconsultation@cfsms.nhs.uk
by the 4 October 2007.
A Code of Practice for the Use of Powers to Counter NHS
Fraud and Security Incidents (DH
Consultation)
College Member is New
Medical Director of Choose and Book
Dr Stephen Miller MRCGP has been
appointed as the new Medical Director for the national Choose and
Book programme. He is a founding member of the initiative and will
work with clinicians and front-line staff to ensure Choose and Book
is used as the everyday method for referring NHS patients.
New Medical Director for Choose and Book
Programme (Connecting for Health Press
Release)
Appointment of Pharmacy
Regulation and Leadership Oversight Group
The DH has announced the
establishment of a Professional Regulation and Leadership Oversight
Group, which will advise and work with Health Ministers to
establish the new pharmacy regulator - the General Pharmaceutical
Council (GPhC).
Pharmacy Regulation and Leadership Oversight
Group (DH Press Release)
Universities to Train
Physician Assistants
The Universities of Wolverhampton,
Birmingham and Warwick with Coventry are to run a new postgraduate
diploma in Physician Assistant Studies. The course compresses three
academic years into two calendar years, and will cover many of the
elements contained in the standard four or five-year medical
programme. It will focus on general medicine in the General
Practice and Hospital settings rather than specialty care.
Physician Assistants will be trained to take medical histories,
perform examinations, diagnose illnesses, and analyse test results
under the direct supervision of a doctor.
Training Programme for Physician
Assistants (University of Birmingham Press
Release)
Guidance
Updated Guidance for
Doctors on Identifying and Supporting Carers
Updated guidance to assist doctors
in identifying and supporting carers has been published by the
BMA’s Community Care Committee. It outlines carers’ basic rights
(in relation to legislation and government guidance); describes
their needs (such as a break from caring); and outlines the
doctor’s role in providing care (such as signposting to local
support services). It suggests that creating a register for carers
and setting up a formal carer strategy would benefit GPs by
reducing appointment times and decreasing GP prescription costs
(such as antidepressants).
Working with Carers: guidelines for good
practice (BMA Guidance)
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Clinical
Announcements
College Response to
Two-Week Breast Cancer Referral Rates
A study published in the BMJ has
shown that the ‘two-week wait rule’ – implemented to improve access
to specialist services for patients with suspected breast cancer –
has disadvantaged patients that are referred routinely.
The findings show that while the
percentage of patients referred under the rule has steadily
increased between 1999 and 2005, the percentage of patients
actually diagnosed with cancer has significantly decreased (from
12.8% in 1999 to 7.7% in 2005). Meanwhile, the proportion of
cancers diagnosed in the group referred routinely – where breast
cancer is not suspected but a consultant's opinion is still needed
- has significantly increased (from 2.5% in 1999 to 5.3% in 2005).
Patients in the latter group are not subject to the two-week rule
and are therefore disadvantaged by longer clinic waits and delays
in diagnosis. Simon Cawthorn, lead researcher on the study, called
for everyone to be seen within two weeks.
Two-Week Breast Cancer Referral Rates (BMJ
Article)
Being able to refer a patient with
suspected cancer, who can then be seen within two weeks, has been
one of the most important advances in the NHS in recent times,
according to Professor Mayur Lakhani, Chair of the RCGP. He added,
“The two-week scheme can sometimes be too rigid. Every patient is
different and they do not fit ‘neat’ criteria. GPs are experts at
tailoring and judging referrals but can be hampered by referral
schemes which act as ‘straightjackets’. Problems arise because the
voice of GPs is sometimes ignored in designing clinics. For the
future, GPs want a two-week scheme that is more flexible and
responsive, where they are able to readily refer patients to senior
consultants."
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England
Announcements
Consultation on the Future
of Stroke Services
A consultation document outlining
the first steps in the development of a National Stroke Strategy
has been published by Professor Roger Boyle, National Director for
Heart Disease and Stroke. The document examines the prevention of
stroke though faster treatment for transient ischaemic attacks
(TIAs); urges clinicians to take the earliest signs of strokes
seriously; and improve post-hospital care. It reports that GPs are
in a position to encourage people to change their lifestyle to
reduce the risk of ill-health, and urges all staff in contact with
patients (such as GP Receptionists) to be able to recognise the
symptoms of stroke or TIA, even when they cannot see the
individual. The consultation will shape the final Stroke Strategy
to be published later this year. Comments should be sent to
MB-Stroke-Ideas@dh.gsi.gov.uk
by 12 October 2007.
A New Ambition for Stroke - consultation on a national
strategy (DH Consultation)
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Wales
Announcements
Electronic Referral
System Tested at Two Practices
GPs at two practices will test a
new method for delivering patient referral letters to hospital
consultants, replacing hand-delivered letters with electronic
messages. The system, known as the Scottish Care Information
Gateway, allows clinical messages to be sent securely from the GP
to the hospital. Benefits of the new scheme include:
- The use of templates to ensure a
standard set of patient information is received by the hospital
consultant
- Integration of data with the GP’s
IT system, minimising the amount of information that needs to be
keyed in
- Less reliance on the post for
delivery of referral letters
- Immediate updating of patient
records with information from hospital discharge letters
The trial will commence in August
2007 and will be completed by the end of the year, with the aim of
making e-referrals available to the entire health community shortly
after.
Eliminating
Paper Referrals for Patients Needing Hospital
Care (NHS Wales)
Call to Support for New
Gold Standards
A Gold Standards Framework for
Primary Care Mental Health is being developed by the RCGP Wales and
the Wales Mental Health in Primary Care (WaMH in PC) Network. The
initiative will offer a structure for commissioning and service
provision, resulting in consistent standards of care across the
country. To gain support and recognition for the framework,
organisers are calling on individuals to register their support
either online or by contacting Lesley Hills, RCGP Wales Project
Manager, on lhills@rcgp.org.uk.
The Welsh Declaration for Mental Health and
Well-being (RCGP Wales and WaMH in PC)
Review of Child Protection
Arrangements
The Healthcare Inspectorate Wales
(HIW) has published a review of child protection arrangements
across Wales. Findings show the protection and safeguarding of
young people is taken very seriously in the NHS but areas that
require improvement still exist - such as information sharing,
enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks and training. The
Inspectorate reported that arrangements in primary medical services
were “mostly developed”, and that Local Health Boards (LHBs) are
responsible for updating GPs on their child protection
responsibilities. The report outlines 20 recommendations for NHS
organisations, including the requirement for LHBs to monitor the
role of the lead GP for Child Protection as part of the new GP
contract. Implementation of recommended improvements will be
assessed by HIW and included in its 2007-2008 review programme.
Review of Child Protection Arrangements Across NHS
Wales (HIW Report)
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Scotland
Announcements
Review of ADHD Services
A review of services for patients with Attention deficit and
hyperkinetic disorders (ADHD) has revealed that provisions are
delivered in different ways, by a range of clinicians, across the
country. The evaluation examined data from all NHS Boards between
September 2006 and December 2006, to determine what services are
available and how they are delivered. Emerging patterns revealed
that:
- None of the Boards had a comprehensive system for collecting
and storing information on the number of patients diagnosed with
ADHD.
- Half the Boards had either a formalised shared care protocol in
place or informal mechanisms for delivery of shared care. (An
agreement made between the specialist and GP, where the family
doctor takes over responsibility for prescribing medication
initially recommended by the specialist is known as Shared
Care).
ADHD – Services Over Scotland (NHS
Quality Improvement Scotland)
Improved Co-ordination When Investigating
Complaints About Doctors
The General Medical Council (GMC) and the Scottish Public
Services Ombudsman (SPSO) have formalised the process of
information sharing when investigating complaints about doctors.
Both organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU),
which will commit them to sharing information if it will assist or
trigger an investigation into a complaint made about a doctor. The
agreement also means they must collaborate on informing other
organisations about their work and share knowledge on trends and
issues around complaints.
Co-ordinating Investigations into Complaints About
Doctors (GMC News)
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Northern Ireland
Announcements
Campaign to Prevent Suicide and Reduce Stigma Around
Mental Health
A campaign aimed at reducing the stigma around mental health has
been re-launched by Health Minister Michael McGimpsey. It forms
part of the Suicide Prevention Strategy “Protect Life – A Shared
Vision” and encourages people to seek help for their problems.
A website
to accompany the campaign provides information on mental health
issues and contains a searchable directory of mental health
services throughout the UK.
‘Minding Your Head’ Campaign
(Northern Ireland Executive Press Release)
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Contact Us
RCGP Information Services can be contacted at:
Email:
info@rcgp.org.uk
Tel: 020 7581 3232 ext: 240
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Disclaimer
Seven Days uses third party information and neither endorses nor guarentees the accuracy or authenticity of these sources.
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