21 January 2021

Letters inviting residents to register for an appointment at large vaccination centres have now started to be sent out by the national booking service to residents in the national priority groups.

The letters invite people to log onto the national booking system or call the national number (119) to book their appointment at a centre within 45 minutes of their home address.

More information about the national booking service here.

The letter will include a booking code and their NHS ID number to support their booking – they will need these from the letter to book the appointment.

Residents will not be able to book an appointment until they receive this invite letter.

Letters will initially go to people in the top JCVI groups who are in reasonable travelling distance of the locations that are open, and who haven’t already been vaccinated through other NHS vaccination services.

People will only be able to book into the large vaccination centres and pharmacies using this system – not PCN or primary care sites.

More large vaccination centres and pharmacies will open over the next few weeks, which will be added to the booking system.

Residents are being reminded that if they have already booked an appointment at a PCN/other site they should ignore this letter.

Public information is also available on the NW London website

Action: View the updated Protocol

Please find attached an updated Protocol for the delivery of neonatal BCG in London. This Protocol replaces the previous Protocol issued in 2019.

The way we deliver neonatal BCG in London was changed on 1 September 2020 from a universal programme to a programme targeting those babies most at risk of TB. In addition, delivery of neonatal BCG was moved from maternity services to community clinics.

The Protocol outlines the following:

·      why we changed the delivery of neonatal BCG in London;

·      which babies are now eligible for neonatal BCG;

·      how eligibility should be assessed;

·      how a baby should be referred for neonatal BCG by:

           - Maternity services

           - Health visiting services

           - GPs

           - Self-referral

·      How a baby should be referred for neonatal BCG if they:

           - are in care at a neonatal unit or special care baby unit;

           - live outside London

·      How records should be kept and how the programme is monitored;

·      Details of all community BCG clinics in London with contacts for referral.

Public resources for the neonatal BCG programme are available in multiple languages here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/tb-bcg-and-your-baby-leaflet and here: https://www.healthpublications.gov.uk/ArticleOverview.html?sp=Sall&sp=Sft-59%2C229&sp=Sreset

Action: Please share the attached poster on your practice website and with your PPGs

Criminals are using the Covid-19 vaccine as a way to target the public by tricking them to hand over cash or financial details. They are sending convincing-looking text messages letting people know they are eligible for the vaccine or phoning people directly pretending to be from the NHS, or local pharmacy.

Please could you publicise the attached poster to bring further awareness to this.

Action: Ordering of Lateral Flow test kits for staff and volunteers working in vaccination sites must now be done through primary care, using the PCSE portal.

NHS staff working in the Vaccination Centres should generally access testing through their employer (GP practice, community pharmacist etc). Testing for these staff should take place at home, twice a week, using the box of supplies provided by the Practice to each member of staff.

The GP Practice responsible for running the Vaccination Centre (or nominated practice), should order sufficient supplies to provide test kits in the Vaccination Centre for volunteers and other people working in the centre, who would not otherwise be able to access testing.

This group of workers should test themselves up to twice a week whilst on site, depending on the number of times they are on site.

Lateral flow test kit supplies should be ordered via the PCSE ordering portal. A link to the PCSE website containing details on how to order can be accessed below. Ordering your Covid-19 lateral flow antigen self-testing kits - Primary Care Support England

If you require more than 27 boxes, please email pcse.urgentsupplies@nhs.net

For further information, please contact Fiona Sutcliffe, Covid Testing Programme Lead, North West London CCGs. fionasutcliffe@nhs.net

Action: GP practices must submit relevant claims for COVID-19 PPE to their CCG by no later than 5 February 2021. After this date, no further claims can be considered. 

The CYP Transformation Programme Bulletin​ is attached, which includes the following information:

• Key Communications
• CYP Sector-wide Updates
• Webinars and Training
• Links and Resources
• ​Data snapshot​

Please find the link below for a webinar hosted this week titled 'Early Identification of High-Risk Patients using S1/EMIS/WISC -COVID@Home'. The webinar was hosted by the NWL Remote Monitoring Clinical Leadership (Dr Afsana Safa, Dr Tony Willis, Dr Simon Gordon and Dr Kuldhir Johal), and provides an insight into some of the work around COVID pathways, Risk stratification, Support materials and tools in the early identification and management of patients with COVID conditions. 

Link: https://youtu.be/RBa83LLwLR0

There will be further webinar sessions and useful materials released in future.​​​