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Improving Accessibility and Availability of GPs (Darzi’s Interim Report)

Lord Darzi has published his interim report on the NHS next stage review, setting out a 10 year vision for the health service in England and the immediate actions that need to be taken. It calls for better access to GPs, especially at weekends and evenings, and outlines a number of initiatives including:

• The creation of 100 new GP surgeries in PCTs with the poorest provision
• Resources to enable PCTs to set up 150 GP-run health centres (open 7 days a week, from 8am to 8pm, situated in easily accessible locations)
• The establishment of an advisory board to develop primary care strategy. It will comprise GPs, community nurses and other health care professionals. Professor Mayur Lakhani, Chair of the RCGP, has already been appointed to lead on GP specialisation.
• The provision of practice information on the “NHS Choices” website to help people choose their GP. The resource will include results of patient surveys, practice opening times and performance against key quality indicators.

Lord Darzi was asked to undertake this review by the Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson, in July 2007. The final report will be published in spring 2008.

Our NHS, Our Future: NHS next stage review (DH Interim Report)

The RCGP welcomes the interim report and its major emphasis on primary care and health inequalities; especially as it draws on many of the proposals presented in the College’s “Roadmap on the Future of General Practice” published two weeks ago.

RCGP Response to Lord Darzi's Interim Report on the Future of the NHS (RCGP Press Release)

Key Appointments Strengthen Quality of GP Training

The College has appointed three GPs to help oversee the transformation of general practice training. Each post is for a fixed term of three years and responsibilities are outlined below:

• Dr Jill Edwards, Medical Director of Quality Management and Training Standards, will support the RCGP’s role in certification and quality management of training at national and local level.
• Professor Charlotte Tulinius, Medical Director of the GP Curriculum, will be responsible for the development and updating of the syllabus, and for providing support to trainers and trainees.
• Dr Neil Munro, Medical Director of Assessment, will conduct, deliver and quality assure the nMRCGP assessment.

Three Key Appointments to Strengthen the Quality of GP Training (RCGP Press Release)

Changes to Recruitment for Specialty Training in 2008

Health Minister, Ben Bradshaw, has announced that deaneries will organise their own recruitment process for specialty training in England in 2008 and junior doctor start dates will be staggered. Ministers have accepted proposals submitted by the Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) Programme Board - consisting of representatives from the BMA, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, as well as the NHS. Formal plans for 2009 and beyond will be discussed following Sir John Tooke's independent review of MMC.

Locally Led, Staggered Recruitment for Specialty Training (DH Press Release)

Guidance

Improving Communication Between Primary and Secondary Care

Suggestions on improving two-way communication between primary and secondary care practitioners have been set out in a joint paper published by the BMA’s General Practitioners Committee (GPC) and the Central Consultants and Specialists Committee (CCSC). It covers out-patient referral letters, prescribing and a model discharge letter from a hospital doctor to a GP.

Improving Communication Between Primary and Secondary Care (BMA Guidance)

Online Ethics and Law Training

The Medical Defence Union (MDU) has developed an online Continuing Professional Development (CPD) module focusing on ethics and the law. It gives GPs the opportunity to consider dilemmas on topics such as consent, whistleblowing, removing patients from lists and death certification. MDU members can access the module for free by visiting http://www.onexamination.com. It is worth one hour of CPD and a certificate can be printed off upon completion.

Proposals to Help Heavily Addicted Smokers

A new Royal College of Physicians (RCP) report calls for reforms to the nicotine industry to help reduce harm to smokers. Proposals include the development of medicinal nicotine substitutes for cigarettes and the creation of a regulatory authority to take control of nicotine product regulation to reverse the advantage cigarettes have in the marketplace.

Harm Reduction in Nicotine Addiction (RCP Report)

New Dispensing Page in GP Magazine

A new dispensing page will appear in “GP Magazine” following the discontinuation of the Dispensing Doctor Quarterly Journal (DDJ).

Guidance

Treating Children with Continence Difficulties

The patient journey of a seven year old girl with continence difficulties has been illustrated in a new DH document. The example lists each stage of treatment (from identification of the problem to its resolution) comparing action taken against the standards set out in the National Service Framework for Children.

Continence Exemplar (DH Document)

Learning Resource for Medicines Management

The National Prescribing Centre (NPC) has launched a learning resource for busy NHS professionals and managers. “'NPCi Blog” contains quick and succinct commentaries on recent prescribing issues and advises whether the information should be used to change clinical practice.

NPCi Blog (NPC Resource)

Task Force Tackles Health Inequalities

A task force, set up to tackle the major health inequalities in Scotland, met for the first time on the 3 October.  Its remit is to identify practical measures to reduce inequalities. The group will report to the Cabinet by summer 2008.

Helping the Elderly Stay Healthy Over Winter

“Keep Well This Winter” is a Welsh Assembly campaign aimed at people aged 65 and over. It provides advice on staying fit, keeping warm and improving health over the winter months. Older people are urged to take simple steps, such as having the flu jab as part of the free vaccination programme. More information on the campaign can be accessed at http://www.kwtw.org.uk/.