COVID-19: 23rd March round-up for primary care
Today has been marked by many as a year's anniversary since the start of the pandemic. None of us personally or professionally knew how much it would still be affecting all our lives. Your support, resilience and versatility across primary care has been phenomenal and inspiring. Remember, there is confidential coaching support available for everyone working in primary care through our Looking After You Too and Looking After Your Team offers. Please do take a look to support the wellbeing of yourself and your teams.
COVID remote monitoring scheme
We’re pleased to announce that at least 37,000 people have now benefited from the COVID remote monitoring scheme, which has helped high risk COVID patients monitor their condition from home. Pulse oximeters have been an enormous success and a lifeline for thousands of COVID patients. Thank you to everyone who has supported this scheme.
In this blog, National Clinical Director for Infection, Antimicrobial Resistance & Deterioration Dr Matt Inada Kim explains the impact of COVID Oximetry @home and COVID virtual ward services, and how the learning is now being incorporated into the design of other care pathways. In a complementary blog, NHSX Chief Digital Officer Tara Donnelly reflects on the progress made to implement tech-enabled COVID virtual wards, now in place across 85 NHS organisations.
Supporting equitable uptake of the COVID-19 vaccination in people with Severe Mental Illness
People with Severe Mental Illness (SMI), who face reduced life expectancy of 15-20 years when compared to the general population are included in priority group six to access the COVID-19 vaccination from 14 February.
Some people with SMI may not know if they are eligible. Therefore, in line with the JCVI green book, it is vital that we take an inclusive approach to ensure people with bipolar, schizophrenia and any other illness that would impair functional impairment can access their COVID-19 vaccination. For instance, this could include people with an eating disorder (either a high or low BMI) or people with a diagnosis of personality disorder.
We also know that people with SMI have lower utilisation of primary care services and may find it difficult to attend vaccination appointments. There is a suite of resources available to support equitable uptake of the COVID-19 vaccination:
- Tailored invitation letter
- Tips for engaging people with SMI in healthcare services
- A guide for people with SMI on what to expect from the COVID-19 vaccination programme
- Re-think mental illness COVID-19 vaccination resources for people with SMI
Information on supporting clinically extremely vulnerable staff
This letter from Prerana Issar, NHS Chief People Officer, and Dr Nikki Kanani, Medical Director for Primary Care, outlines shielding advice for clinically extremely vulnerable staff. The government has now confirmed that, from 1 April 2021, shielding advice will be paused nationally. This reflects falling infection rates and advice from the Chief Medical Officer. The Shielded Patient List will continue to be kept current in case of a future need.
In summary, the new advice from 1 April is to continue to work from home where possible and if individuals cannot work from home, employers should undertake a comprehensive, individual, workplace risk assessment reflecting the current working context (i.e. improved testing, vaccination and relationship with transmission).
Women’s safety and domestic abuse during COVID-19: a reminder of advice for NHS staff
In the last few weeks, many women are rightly coming forward to speak about the experiences they face of harassment, intimidation, assault and abuse. This letter is to remind everyone of the key signs of domestic abuse and the services that are available for women.
Supporting CCGs to address vaccine inequalities
Thank you for the work you are doing to address vaccine inequalities in your area. This letter and next steps guide describe further national action to enable and locally deliver community activity and engagement to support COVID-19 vaccination access and uptake, building on the vaccine uptake strategy.
Pregnancy and vaccination actions for maternity services
This letter from Matthew Jolly, National Clinical Director for Maternity and Women’s Health, and Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent OBE, Chief Midwifery Officer and National Maternity Safety Champion, asks maternity services to take actions to identify eligible pregnant and invite them appropriately for vaccination, while enabling them to make an informed choice about receiving it.
Risk management materials from PDA
Based on the early vaccination incidents, the Pharmacy Defence Association has produced some risk management materials, including a poster and colour coded stickers to prevent Pfizer and AZ vaccine mix ups.
Primary Care Support England expanding services for pharmacies from 31 March 21
Primary Care Support England (PCSE) is expanding its services for pharmacies this Spring. As well as the current market entry applications already processed by PCSE, it will start to manage consolidation applications too - when two pharmacies within the same Health and Wellbeing Board wish to merge onto an existing site. As such, PCSE is changing the name of its Market Entry Service to Pharmacy Market Management Services (PMMS) from 31 March 2021. Consolidation applications can be made via the online portal from this date.
The online portal also contains further guidance about consolidations including how to register on the PCSE online portal, information from the Pharmacy Manual and PSNC guidance.
COVID-19 vaccination programme: FAQs on second doses
A range of FAQs has been published, with answers to questions including ‘Does second dose vaccination need to happen at the same place as the first dose?’ and ‘Can different vaccines be used for first and second doses?’
Certificate for volunteers who supported the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme
A certificate has been produced for local systems to adapt and present to their volunteers as a thank you for dedicating their time to support delivering COVID vaccinations. The certificate is signed by Dr Nikki Kanani.
COVID-19: 26th March round-up for primary care
Yesterday we published the NHS 2021/22 priorities and operational planning guidance setting out the priorities for the year ahead, including “expanding primary care capacity to improve access, local health outcomes and address health inequalities”.
The NHS has announced that it is reducing the national incident level, for the NHS COVID-19 response, from level 4 to level 3. Read the full details in a letter from Professor Keith Willett, NHS Strategic Incident Director, and Stephen Groves, Incident Director.
Supporting people with SMI to access their covid-19 vaccination
As the COVID-19 vaccination programme progresses at pace, it is vital that no one is left behind. Some people with Severe Mental Illness (SMI) may not know if they are eligible for vaccination as part of priority group six. Therefore, in line with the JCVI green book, it is vital that we take an inclusive approach to ensure people with bipolar, schizophrenia and any other illness that would impact functional impairment can access their COVID-19 vaccination. For instance, this could include people with an eating disorder (either a high or low BMI) or people with a diagnosis of personality disorder.
We also know that people with SMI have lower utilisation of primary care services and may find it difficult to attend vaccination appointment. In their latest blog, Dr Nikki Kanani and Claire Murdoch discuss some of the key adaptations which should be available for people with SMI to support them to access their vaccination. The blog also includes a suite of support resources from our third sector partners.
Free training for COVID-19 vaccination staff and volunteers
Thank you to those who have signed up for the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) free training on supporting people with sight loss. There are still some places left of the training, which is available to staff and volunteers working on the COVID-19 vaccine programme. You can pick from three short online training modules covering communication, how to guide, and the experiences of people with sight loss, relevant to your time in the vaccination programme and beyond. Simply visit www.enetlearn.com/vaccinesupport and click the “register” button to access the training.
Update on 2021-22 flu ordering
People aged 50 to 64 year olds are expected to be included as an eligible cohort for the 2021/22 flu season. The flu reimbursement letter is currently being updated to reflect the inclusion and will be republished imminently. Providers are asked to await the updated flu reimbursement letter for more information.
COVID play for South Asian communities
On 20 March, Chai Cup Productions webcast a bilingual play ‘Corona – Umeed naa khona!’ (Corona – Don’t lose hope!) – in Urdu and English about the impact of the pandemic on a South Asian family. This was followed by a live Q&A session where the attendees had the opportunity to ask questions of an expert panel.
The pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on BAME groups, including the South Asian communities. Drama is seen as an innovative way to engage audiences from this community where there is concern about the low take up of vaccinations. The cast consists of Yorkshire-based NHS staff including 5 hospital consultants and a GP, who have been raising awareness of issues such as dementia, end-of-life and now COVID through drama. The expert panel responded to queries such as about taking the vaccine during Ramadan, measures to address the fake vaccine news in the South Asian community and risk for people with heart conditions.
The group is exploring holding similar online events for other community groups across Yorkshire and nationally. The next event is on 10 April 2021 at 7 pm and is free, email to register.
Podcast: Vaccinating people with a learning disability and autistic people
In our latest Primary Care Network podcast, Fazilla Amide, whose 17 year old son has complex health needs, a learning disability and autism, discusses the importance of collaborative working across health and social care to ensure the best outcomes can be achieved for people with a learning disability and autistic people in vaccination appointments. The podcast provides advice and support around good communication, the range of reasonable adjustments that should be considered, needle phobia, as well as some specific examples of good practice.
Date for your diary - Wednesday 7th April, 1pm - 2pm
Introduction to the GP referral pathway to the Community Pharmacist Consultation Service and how to implement it
