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27 April 2020

All documents can be found here

Dear colleague
 
Please find below the latest GP update regarding Covid-19.

You will find this update with links to the files on the new North West London password-protected site page. You can also review the full list of Covid-19 related service changes, to ensure you have not missed any notices.

Website: https://www.nwlondonccg.nhs.uk/professionals/coronavirus-clinical
Password: NWLCovid-19
 
Today’s update includes:

  • Flu vaccination procurement for 2020/21
  • Immunisations: reminder
  • Temporary changes to the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust’s ophthalmology services
  • Updated guidance on using Electronic Prescription Service in remote consultations
  • Increase electronic repeat dispensing during pandemic
 

 

Flu vaccination procurement for 2020/21

ACTION: Ensure you have procured enough flu vaccine quantities

Following the NHSEI GP preparedness letter to practices dated 19 March, please note the latest update on flu vaccination procurement for the upcoming 2020/21 annual immunisation programme. General Practices are required to locally procure adult flu vaccines directly from the manufacturer, ordering sufficient quantities of vaccine to meet nationally agreed vaccine uptake ambitions. The recommended vaccines are as below:

pcupdate1.jpg

Practices should work closely and proactively with the relevant CCG flu lead, Primary Care Network and the regional NHSEI public health commissioning team to secure sufficient quantities of the recommended adult flu vaccines for your eligible populations.

Given the current situation, flu vaccine manufacturers have extended the ordering period as outlined below:

pcupdate2.png

In light of the Covid-19 related demand pressures, it is more important than ever to ensure you have ordered sufficient quantities of the most effective adult flu vaccines for your registered populations to meet national vaccine uptake ambitions. Protecting those most at-risk of respiratory complications and/or severe disease is a priority.

 

Immunisations during Covid-19

ACTION: Please ensure you are working in reference to the advice set out in the GP preparedness letter dated 14 April and the immunisation guidance published by the Royal College of Nursing

The letter with all other advice can be found online in full. Key points on immunisations include the following: 

  • Where practices experience high demand on services, it is important to prioritise time sensitive vaccines for babies, children, or during pregnancy.
  • All routine childhood immunisations offered to babies and infants including vaccines due at one year of age including the first MMR dose
  • All doses of targeted hepatitis B vaccines for at-risk infants should also be offered in a timely manner
  • Pertussis vaccination in pregnancy
  • Pneumococcal vaccination for those in risk groups from 2 to 64 years of age and those aged 65 years and over (subject to supplies of PPV23 and clinical prioritisation)
  • Due to the public health advice on social distancing and shielding, practices are not expected to offer the opportunistic shingles vaccine for those aged 70 years, unless the patient is already in the GP practice for another reason.
  • The Newborn and Infant Physical Examination (NIPE) infant check can be delayed until eight weeks of age to coincide with the first primary childhood immunisations, so they can be done in one visit.

You will find the Royal College of Nursing guidance on immunisations here for further reference.

 

Temporary changes to the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust’s ophthalmology services

ACTION: Note service change

The clinics at Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, Edgware Community Hospital and St Pancras Eye Centre have been closed until further notice. Affected patients are being contacted directly.

The clinic at the Royal Free Hospital remains open for patients who need to be seen urgently from any of our RFL ophthalmology sites.

The Trust has set up a temporary ophthalmology advice line for patients and opticians: call 07773 578 708 or email rf.ophthalmologyadviceline@nhs.net Monday to Friday, between 8am and 8pm. GPs should continue to use the advice and guidance portal on e-RS.

If you need to make an emergency referral, please contact the urgent eye care doctor on 020 7794 0500 and ask for the on-call ophthalmologist. The urgent eye clinic is running from 9.00-17.00 seven days a week at the Royal Free Hospital. For out of hours, emergency referrals should be made by contacting switch on 020 7794 0500 and asking for the on-call ophthalmologist.

 

Updated guidance on using Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) in remote consultations

Updated guidance on the use of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) in remote consultations is now available.

Nomination should still be used wherever possible. You should only use Phase 4 (non-nominated) prescriptions if other options are not suitable.

If the patient cannot collect their paper token, you can either:

  • provide the patient with their Prescription ID, or 
  • ensure they know their NHS number or where to find it. 

Patients will need to provide their Prescription ID or NHS number to enable the pharmacy to locate and download their prescription and dispense their medication.

 

Increase electronic repeat dispensing during pandemic

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) has launched a support service to help GP practices increase electronic repeat dispensing (eRD). You can request the NHS Numbers of patients who may find the service useful, based on their prescribing data. There is more information on the NHSBSA website.

To help explain eRD to your patients, the NHSBSA and Wessex AHSN have created a poster for practices’ entrances. It says that all suitable patients should be using electronic repeat dispensing during the COVID-19 epidemic and highlights the many benefits of the service. To download the poster, visit the NHSBSA website.