As always, thank you to those who have forwarded queries to Humberside LMCs this month. We’ve been working on addressing all of your queries either individually, or through existing working groups. We do hope you find the updates we provide helpful but if you think we could do something differently please do get in touch.
Good news
Consensus Document
In May 2024, the ICB, Humberside LMCs, and North Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals (NLAG) agreed a consensus document on the interface between general practice and NLAG. The document provides the regional consensus of the responsibility of clinicians in both secondary and primary care. It addresses many historic interface issues e.g. onward referral requests, and treatment and management requests. We encourage you to use this resource. Whilst this document is not yet approved by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, we envisage that this or a similar document to be agreed soon.
Digital communications
We have been able to support practices in getting processes in place to receive communications digitally (instead of by post) from Doncaster Royal Infirmary. More recently, this has been extended to York Hospital. Digital communication should reduce the amount of time it takes for GP practices to receive clinical information and improve patient care. We are grateful to ICB colleagues who have helped make this happen. Where needed, we encourage people to speak to the Place team about how to implement this process at their practice.
Interface Data and Themes
In May 2024, we introduced some changes to the way we present data on the interface difficulties affecting you. Because of the large volume of data we now hold we are able to characterise the issues you’ve been telling us about more clearly. Over the last 12 months, the most frequently reported type of interface issues you reported to use remain unchanged:
- HUTH – Onward referral requests
- NLAG – Difficulty accessing/referring to services
- Humber FT – Difficulty accessing/referring to services
- CHCP – Difficulty accessing/referring to services
As always, the full slide deck is available on our website. Data on these slides provide more granular information about the difficulties. If you are a Place or Provider colleague reading this, and you would like to know more about the issues general practice report to us, we would be very happy to provide further context explore how the data could inform further work.
Key Ongoing issues
Diabetic Eye Screening – All
Last month, we were made aware of requests for GPs to provide additional patient information to the diabetic eye screening service. The number of instances reported to us has increased during June. In addition, we were made aware that a new referral form was introduced by the screening service without being approved through the appropriate governance processes. We have spoken to NHSE, Place, and Provider, colleagues about this and made them aware that providing additional information is non-contractual and un-funded. We have proposed a working group to address the issues that have been highlighted. We are also advising practices not to use the new referral form until it has been agreed through local mechanisms. We are grateful for the screening services engagement on this issue.
Maternity Services – HUTH
The planned meeting between Place, HUTH’s maternity services, and ourselves, went ahead as planned on the on Friday 7th June. The group have agreed to initially focus on addressing:
- Timely communication with general practice
- Requests that GPs issue fit notes
- Requests that GPs communicate results to patients
- Requests that GP actioning results
- Specific requests that GPs initiate prescribing
The actions from the first meeting focus on understanding the current process, and what needs to be implemented to enable HUTH to undertake this work.
Memory Services – Humber NHS Foundation Trust
GPs have reported difficulties with the process of shared care between general practice and the Memory Service at Humber NHS Foundation Trust. GPs are reporting that they are being pressured to accept shared care where it has been declined. We would like to reiterate that:
- Shared care is optional for GPs.
- Shared care should not be assumed.
- The Provider remains the default prescriber medication until such time that shared care is agreed by another party. The provider must have mechanisms to prescribe where shared care is declined.
Whilst providers are entitled to reassure GP practices and support them to take on shared care, GPs can still decline a shared care agreement. We are working with services to address this issue.
Download our June Interface Update presentation for more information.
Comments are closed.