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.
You can also download this month’s interface update presentation which includes more detail.
Interface Website
We are pleased to say that we have introduced a new ‘landing page’ for interface to Humberside LMCs website. The new page is easier for you to navigate. It features sections on strategy and guidance, and also makes our regular slides and newsletters easier to find. We’ve added an option for you to submit an interface query to us using an online proforma. This does not replace the option to request help over e-mail, but it does give you another method of getting in touch if this is preferable.
Interface Data and Themes
In May 2024, we also introduced some minor 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 top interface issues you have reported to use are:
- 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.
Ongoing issues
Diabetic Eye Screening – All
We have been made aware of requests for GPs to provide information about patient mental capacity to Humber’s diabetic eye screening service. We have explored alternative options for services to obtain this information. Unfortunately, there are no plans for screening services to address this at this time. To be clear, this work is non-contractual and you can decline to provide the information if you wish. This request forms a wider pattern of similar requests, from screening services, for GPs to provide additional information. Many of these requests for further information are made because the provider is required to obtain it. That does not mean the practice must provide it. We believe that an appropriate funded solution, or a solution not involving general practice, is needed. If you have any requests similar to this that you would like to highlight, please get in touch.
Maternity Services – NLAG
We have had reports of practices not receiving discharge communications when someone has had a termination, miscarriage, or normal delivery. We are continuing to investigate this but, currently, do not know why this is happening. It does not appear to be related to the issues recently reported about practice e-mail addresses being incorrect/un-serviced. We are unsure how prevalent this issue is and would value anyone else experiencing this issue getting in touch with us, or the Place team.
Maternity Services – HUTH
We are pleased to say that we are progressing with discussions about workload transfers from maternity services at HUTH. Humberside LMCs, general practitioners, Place, and HUTH colleagues met to discuss our concerns and we have agreed to a working group that will commence on Friday 7th June. The terms of reference will follow.
Tier 3 Weight Management – East Riding
The absence of appropriate tier 3 weight management services in the East Riding continues to cause significant concerns for GPs. We have highlighted this commissioning gap to Place colleagues who are also keen to address this. Inconsistent availability of weight management services is something observed across the ICB and is something that ICB colleagues are also seeking to address. At the moment, we are not clear what actions are being taken or considered to address this gap. We will continue to advocate for better weight management services and will update you about any developments. In the meantime, please continue to highlight issues regarding the absence of tier 3 weight management services.
Sleep Services – Hull and East Riding
We are aware of a service gap affecting children with a diagnosis of autism and sleep disturbance. We initially raised this concern with Place colleagues in 2023. It is acknowledged as a service gap and has been logged as a risk by the ICB. This risk was due to be presented to the Hull and East Riding Place senior leadership team and SEND board in May. Humberside LMCs are not aware of the outcome yet but will provide further updates when we hear more from ICB colleagues.
Good news
Paper documentation
In April 2023, a practice in North Lincolnshire highlighted that processing paper documentation was causing excessive use of administrative time. The practice, with a list size of ~10,000 patients, completed an audit and found that 141 paper documents were received over seven days. It was estimated that it took almost 8 hours each week to process these documents. Extrapolating this to the wider general practice workforce in North and North East Lincolnshire, we estimated that roughly 266 hours each week were spent processing paper documentation.
Humberside LMCs have been working with Place colleagues to reduce the amount of paper documentation sent to general practice. Departments and organisations have been asked to move onto digital systems. We have re-audited the volume of paper documentation one year on and we are happy to report that there has been a 45% reduction. If these data are reflective of true change, we estimate we have saved general practice administrators in North and North East Lincolnshire roughly 120 hours per week.
Thank you to general practice, providers, and Place colleagues who have contributed to this important progress. We will continue to work with providers to further reduce the burden of paper documentation.
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