LMC Elections 2024 - Nominations Open
Nominations are now open for the election to the LMC committee. This is your chance to champion general practice and represent your fellow GPs!

Joining the LMC committee is a great way to:

• pursue an area of interest by influencing pathways, guidelines and protocols
• meet a wide range of colleagues and benefit from their knowledge and experience
• influence the local primary care agenda
• feel part of an active GP community

All GPs working in the Humber area can stand for election – partners, sessional or locum. To stand for election you need to fill in an online nomination form.

You will need to be nominated by another GP (please check with them before you submit the form). All the information you need about the election process, including FAQs and nominations link, can be found here. Nominations must be submitted by 23:59 on Friday 09 February 2024.

Any other queries? Contact us via email humberside.lmcgroup@nhs.net. 

LMC Interface Report Calls for Action to Reduce Burden on General Practice
A new LMC report has highlighted the cost to the NHS of problems with the interface between primary care and secondary care providers in the Humber region.

The publication, Over £4,000,000 Per Year: Exploring the Burden of Interface Difficulties for General Practice in Humberside, estimates that this is the amount of NHS funding consumed due to difficulties in the way primary and secondary care work together.

The report is based on responses to an LMC survey from GPs and practice staff in the Humber region. It attracted considerable interest from the health press on publication this month, and we're working on next steps. Download the report. 

Interface Update
Interface Officer Simon Nichols continues to assist practices with interface issues. His latest update includes: 

• Radiology - next steps concerning issues with communication of results
• Onward referral - steps to enable direct referrals
• Ongoing issues with duplicated information, and ADHD

Click below to access more information on this month's activity. Contact us with your interface queries via humberside.lmcgroup@nhs.net. 

Train the Trainer: Handling Difficult Situations
Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership have the opportunity to apply for 20 places to undertake Train the Trainer: ‘Handling difficult situations – caring for yourself and others with compassion’.  

The training is designed to upskill frontline, patient-facing colleagues with techniques and skills to handle and de-escalate difficult situations using effective communication techniques and active listening skills. 
 
HNY are seeking colleagues in relevant roles, with capacity to deliver the training at local level, who have expertise and experience in delivering training, as well as potentially subject matter expertise that adds to their credibility (e.g. an understanding of health and wellbeing, violence prevention, HR and organisational development etc). This could include colleagues in the following roles, however all applications will be considered.

• Health and Wellbeing Champions
• Violence Prevention and Reduction Leads
• Professional Nurse Advocates and Professional Midwifery Advocates
• Learning and development or organisational development roles
• Clinical educators, including primary care training hubs

Trainers must have consent from their line manager to attend the training sessions, and confirm that they have capacity and approval to deliver training sessions across their organisation.
 
Applications will be reviewed by NHS England to ensure the right candidates complete the programme. Training dates will be made available from January-March 2024, delivered virtually over two, half-day training sessions. Delegates will need to attend both sessions to be considered as a qualified trainer. 
 
If you are interested in applying, please discuss the opportunity with your line manager in the first instance. Applicants may then apply using the online application form. 

GPN National Update Webinar
The RCN GPN forum are holing this webinar on Friday 2 February 2024, 13:00-14:00 via MS Teams. The session is aimed at all nurses working in general practice and is an opportunity to share best practice and for your voice to be heard by the national team.

The webinar agenda, which includes the joining link, can be downloaded here. 

GPM Plus Courses
GPM Plus have a number of courses available for 2024, including some brand new:

Personal Resilience – 1 February or 12 March, 9.30am-1.30pm – via Zoom. This in-depth course is available to all members of the practice team and focuses on providing practical tools and techniques to build personal resilience. Book your place.

NEW – Neurodiversity: Inclusivity in the Workplace – 8 February or 4 March,  9.30am – 11.00am – via Zoom. A unique insight into how gaining a real understanding of neurodiversity can benefit the whole workforce. Led by Dr Lucy Clement who has confirmed diagnoses of ADHD, autism and dyslexia. Suitable for all members of the practice team. Book your place.

The Green Practice - how to make the practice a greener environment - 9 February or 11 March, 9.30-11.00am - via Zoom. Making green changes can improve health, reduce health inequalities, improve workload and reduce costs whilst mitigating against the climate crisis. This course is designed to help you understand where you can make changes, and give you the tools to begin. Book your place. 

The full course timetable for early 2024 is now available on the GPM Plus website. Courses can be accessed free of charge, thanks to funding from NHSE (there is an optional charitable donation of £10). They are delivered via Zoom, by experienced GPs and practice managers and they give you the tools, methods and ideas to help build the individual, the team and the practice.

If you need further information, have any questions or require assistance with your booking, please contact Tim Bennett at tim.bennett@yorlmcltd.co.uk or call 01423 879922. 

HNY Primary Care Workforce and Training Hub 
All the latest opportunities available via the hub can be viewed on their news feed. Opportunities available this month include:

• BiteSize CPD Webinars for Nurses, NAs and AHPs
• Legacy Nurse Mentor Role Opportunity
• Rotational Paramedic Scheme - April 2024 cohort
• NE&Y Faculty for Advancing Practice briefing - news, updates & applications open for 2024/25 Trainee ACP funding
• Free Training - Core Supervision Model for Multi Professional Teams
• Funded Functional Skills
• Humber Generalist School - next intake open for applications
• Pharmacy Education Update
• Humber & North Yorkshire ICB Workforce Bulletin

NHSE GP Fellowship Scheme Cessation 
NHSE has announced that the NHSE GP Fellowships and Mentor schemes will end on 31 March 2024.  GPs who are within 24 months of having CCT’d on 31 March, and who have not yet taken advantage of the NHS GP Fellowship Scheme, are encouraged to sign up for the programme in advance of the 31 March deadline. Those successful in securing a place ahead of the deadline will have funding secured for two years. Information on GP Fellowships can be found on the Training Hub website.

Free Cancer Champion Awareness Sessions 
1 in 2 people will develop cancer at some point in their life. Being aware of the signs and symptoms of cancer and detecting it early can save lives.
 
The Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance’s free cancer awareness sessions can teach you about what to look for, cancer prevention, the national cancer screening programmes, and much, much more.

There are dates for 90 minute online sessions available in February and March - book your place. 

ISM Pensions Training 
NHS Pension Scheme - Preparing for Year End, Tuesday 6 February 2024, 09:30-11:30, online. 

The preparation of the Pension Year-End presents new and additional challenges for employers due to the heightened complexity of payroll and expansion of scope which remains part of employers' obligations.

More information and booking. 

GP Practice IT Support Survey
NHS Humber and North Yorkshire ICB are seeking feedback from GP practices on the provision of IT support services. The feedback will be used to help inform the future service provision and highlight areas of positive service delivery and areas for improvement and development.
 
A feedback survey is available via https://forms.office.com/e/0Dhnfq8MhF. The survey should take no longer than 5 minutes to complete. The deadline for survey responses is Friday 9 February 2024. 

Online Access to Records - Data Breaches from Misfiling of Records 
There is ongoing work continuing behind the scenes focusing on making the online access to records project safer. GPC England’s outstanding concerns regarding how this was imposed on the profession can be found here.

GPC are asking for any examples of potential or actual harm that has arisen, for example: the accidental misfiling of data/letters in the wrong patient's record, or when information should have been withheld from online view in order to prevent harm, but wasn't, and which has only come to light now more patients have access to their records, please pass on details to info.gpc@bma.org.uk. 

EMIS and Coding Problems for QOF 
The BMA's Joint GP IT committee has met with EMIS  following concerns about QOF/coding problems and medications missing from data sets following EMIS updates MKB 203, MKB 204 and MKB 205. EMIS is aware of these issues and apologised for them. They assured the committee they have been working to resolve them.
 
EMIS plan to release MKB 206 by the end of January to remedy the issues caused by previous updates. Once MKB 206 has been released, if you continue to run into problems, please contact the BMA  so concerns can be collated and shared with EMIS; email: info.gpc@bma.org.uk.

Access to Records - ICO Response to DPIAs 
Following submission by many practices of their DPIAs (Data Protection Impact Assessments) relating to the accelerated access to records programme, the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) has decided to publish its advice ‘so GPs affected are aware of the ICO’s views on the matter.’ Read the advice.
 
The ICO is content that ‘potential data protection risks have been identified, and that sufficient mitigations are in place.’ Practices that haven't completed a DPIA are encouraged to do so and make their commissioners aware. The GPC advise that if practices identify particular data protection risks associated with providing online access, which they do not consider to be mitigated, they should consult and engage with the ICO and their commissioner to find a way forward.

GPMplus Mentoring
January is National Mentoring Month, emphasising the benefits that a supportive mentoring relationship can offer across all industries and walks of life.

Since GPMplus was launched in 2021, more than 400 GPs, practice managers and other primary care clinicians and staff have accessed free mentoring services across Humber & North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire.
 
The service offers up to 8 hours of mentoring with a trained mentor who has experience of working in front-line primary care. There is no charge to access mentoring, as the service is fully funded by NHSE, and feedback received from people who have accessed GPMplus mentoring has been really positive:

• 100% felt mentoring had a positive impact on their professional life.
• 94% felt mentoring had a positive impact on their personal life.
• 94% would recommend GPMplus mentoring to a colleague.
• 93% would access GPMplus mentoring again in the future.

To find out more, or to access mentoring, please visit the GPMplus website.  

Scabies    
Scabies can be difficult to spot and tricky to manage, both because the treatment has to be applied in a very specific way AND because there are shortages of both first-line treatment options. This Red Whale clinical update looks at presentation and diagnosis, management, and take home messages.   

New guidelines from SIGN for Dementia
It will surprise no one that the numbers of patients we are seeing in general practice continue to rise substantially; there are estimated to be 944,000 people living with dementia in the UK. This NB Medical article explores the new guideline on the assessment, diagnosis and care of people with dementia from SIGN.  

Management of Lower Back Pain  
Recommendations included in this Medscape UK summary cover education and advice, physical and psychological interventions, and medicines. 

Death Certification Reforms 
The Government has confirmed that the death certification reforms will be enacted from April 2024, including the role of the medical examiner becoming statutory. Once the new death certification process comes into force, all deaths in England and Wales will be independently reviewed by a medical examiner or a coroner. The main changes are detailed below.

• NHS trusts hosting a medical examiner office should provide adequate support and ensure the independence of medical examiners is respected.
• All other healthcare providers including GP practices should set up processes to start referring deaths to medical examiner offices if they have not already done so. There is a podcast on how medical examiners can support GPs and their work with bereaved people.
• Integrated care boards in England should ask all healthcare providers in their area to establish processes to refer relevant deaths to medical examiner offices for independent scrutiny as soon as possible.

Other changes include a new MCCD (medical certificate of cause of death), which can be completed by a doctor who attended the deceased at any time. At present MCCDs can only be completed if the doctor saw the patient within 28 days before death, or after death. Read more from NHS England. 

LMC Jobs Page
A reminder that practices in the Humber area can post their GP and practice manager vacancies free of charge on the new Humberside LMCs Jobs page. Complete the online form to submit a vacancy.

GPC Update
The GPC publish regular updates for LMCs, covering contractual issues, policy, news updates and more. Read the latest updates, published fortnightly by the GPC. 

LMC Podcast - Latest Episode
Our latest edition of the LMC podcast discusses this years elections to the LMC committee and explains what the role of committee member involves, how to nominate yourself for the committee, and how the election works. Listen online or subscribe via podcast apps including Spotify and Apple. 

GP End of Year Forms: Submission Deadline Extended
All Type 1 and Type 2 practitioners must complete the relevant certificate or form and submit to Primary Care Support England (PCSE). The release of both they Type 1 and Type 2 forms was delayed this year, and as a result the deadline for submitting these has been extended to 31 March 2024.

EDI Leadership Networks
NHS Confederation and NHS Employers host a number of leadership networks. Click below for more information.

BME Leadership Network – find out more about this important network, launched by the NHS Confederation in March 2019.

Health and Care LGBTQ+ Leaders Network – launched by the NHS Confederation in June 2020, find out what they do and get involved.

Health and Care Women Leaders Network – a well-established free network for women working across health and care, led by the NHS Confederation and NHS Employers.

Buying Group Recruitment Support  
The LMC Buying Group understand that recruitment is often an expensive and time-consuming business, so they created an eye-catching, easy to use recruitment page where any registered member can post their clinical and non-clinical vacancies at no cost. They also offer practices the opportunity to feature their vacancies with a featured package which comes at a small fee.
 
What they offer
 
As well as posting the job on their website, they also highlight any new job posting at least once across their social media platforms. This is a free service to any member practice interested in expanding their vacancy reach beyond their region.
 
They have also introduced a ‘Featured Job’ option for those members that want to draw more attention to their advert. The featured role will appear at the top of the Jobs page in a bright colour and be highlighted on their social media channels each week for a month. This service only costs £50+VAT.

To place an advert, visit the Jobs page and upload your vacancy using the application form template here. If you choose the Featured Advert option, they will send you an invoice once the advert has been posted online.

Just 'B' Reflective Spaces  
The Just 'B' programme is in place to support staff impacted by bereavement, stress and the psychological effects of working in end-of-life care. It allows staff to discuss and reflect upon their work, specifically the emotional impact, and helps to improve wellbeing and resilience levels.

As part of the programme there will be Schwartz Rounds which are available for HNY Primary Care staff to attend. Forthcoming dates are:

• Thursday 22 February, 2pm to 3pm
• Monday 25 March, 2pm to 3pm

Keep an eye on the Just 'B' website for when bookings go live. This 10 minute video shows a case-based Schwartz Round in a hospital setting. Watch a Schwartz Round - Point of Care Foundation. 

Humber Regional Armed Forces and Veterans Champions Forum  
Andrew Nelson-Plews, Advanced Clinical Practitioner and Paramedic Advanced Practitioner with Modality, would like to make contact with other veteran's champions/clinical leads at other PCN's/PHC's within the locality with a view to setting up a forum/working group to network, share ideas on improving access and health outcomes for our armed forces and veteran community including their dependents.

Veterans Champions and Clinical Leads are invited to contact Andrew via andrew.nelson-plews@nhs.net. 

GP Pressures and Workforce Data
The BMA collates monthly appointment and workforce data on their website, which is a great resource for signposting PPGs, local press and MPs. November 2023's data shows that the NHS in England has 1,881 fewer fully qualified FTE GPs than we did in September 2015. The number of GP practices in England has also decreased by 112 over the past year – reflecting a continued trend of closures as well as mergers primarily due to a lack of workforce that coincides with a rise in patients.
 
Around 31.5m appointments were booked in November 2023, with an average of 1.43m appointments being delivered per working day, which is above the average of 1.39m per day for the past year. In addition, as of November 2023, there was another record-high of 63.03 million patients registered in England, with an average of 9,977 patients registered per practice. A single full-time GP is now responsible for around 2,300 patients – an increase of 18% since September 2015, demonstrating the ever-mounting workload in general practice. View more infographics and data about the pressures in general practice.

Practices are urged to use the BMA's safe working guidance in order to prioritise safe patient care. An LMC summary can be found here.