3 September 2020

All documents can be found here

Dear colleague

Please find below the latest GP update regarding Covid-19. If you are receiving this update as a practice manager, please make sure you do share it with your colleagues, including sessional GPs.

You can view the North West London password-protected GP extranet homepage using the details below.

As always, you are advised to review the full list of Covid-19-related service changes, including restarts, on a regular basis, to ensure you have not missed any notices.

Website: https://www.nwlondonccg.nhs.uk/professionals/coronavirus-clinical

Password: NWLCovid-19

Today’s update includes:

- Alternative flu vaccine for children

(ACTION: Note the alternative arrangements for parents who decline the nasal flu due to the porcine content)

- Recovery of London’s Cervical Screening Programme

(ACTION: If your practice is not registered for text reminders sign up at www.pcm.nhs.uk/londoncervicalscreening. Read the full update on cervical screening recovery here.)

- New video to help understand breast pain

(ACTION: View the video and use with primary care colleagues. Read more here​.)

Alternative flu vaccine for children

ACTION: Note the alternative arrangements for parents who decline the nasal flu due to the porcine content

The flu vaccine is offered to children aged 2 to 3 years, to children of reception and primary school age, and, for the first time this year (2020) to children in the first year of secondary school (Year 7).  In addition, children who are clinically at risk are offered the vaccine from the age of six months.

The vaccine is given to most children in school in the form of a nasal spray and contains a highly processed form of porcine gelatine.

If a child is at high risk from one or more medical conditions or treatments and can’t have the nasal spray, the child will be offered an alternative flu vaccination by injection.

There is a limited supply of the alternative vaccine, which is less effective than the nasal spray for healthy children, so children at risk will be prioritised for this vaccine.

School age children

School age children who are not at risk, but whose parents would prefer that they did not have the nasal spray, can request the alternative vaccine, but it would not be available until November and only then if there was sufficient stock.

Two to three-year olds

Two to three-year olds who are not at risk, but whose parents would prefer that they did not have the nasal spray, can also request the alternative vaccine from their GP.  Again, this would mean waiting until November and would depend upon there being sufficient stock of the alternative vaccine. GPs will not provide the alternative vaccine before November, because children at risk must be prioritised.

Recovery of London’s Cervical Screening Programme

ACTION: If your practice is not registered for text reminders sign up at www.pcm.nhs.uk/londoncervicalscreening. Read the full update on cervical screening recovery here.

Daily sample volumes are getting very close to pre-Covid levels as women respond to invitation and reminder letters distributed by CSAS and local practices.

Uptake has also been assisted by cervical screening text reminders which have been going out to women since July 20 2020. Currently 98% of practices are participating in this initiative. If your practice is not registered for text reminders sign up at www.pcm.nhs.uk/londoncervicalscreening.

New video to help understand breast pain

ACTION: View the video and use with primary care colleagues. Read more here​.

RM Partners has produced an educational video to help explain the causes and management of breast pain.

An issue frequently highlighted by doctors is the lack of public understanding of breast health and, in particular, breast pain. Breast clinicians are clear that breast pain as a symptom on its own is not a sign of cancer. Despite this, many patients are currently unnecessarily referred to secondary care on an urgent pathway and unduly worried about their prognosis.