NEWSLETTER FOR THE GENERAL PRACTICE LINK OFFICE
MAY 1998 ISSUE 49
The General Practice Link Office is always looking for articles to be included in Link News. If there is anyone out there involved in General Practice who would like to submit an article, please contact us with any contributions, which will be warmly welcomed.
STOP PRESS
CONTENTS
Update for Glucose monitoring Q.A Scheme
Central Croydon Commissioning Group (C3G)
Report from the 15th Annual Practice Nurse Conference, University of York, 15-17th April 1998
One Year On The A&E Liaison Team forms part of a two year LIZ funded initiative aiming to reduce pressure on hospital beds in Croydon, by facilitating avoidable admissions via the Accident and Emergency Department. In its first year the team, although not fully staffed at times, has successfully prevented in excess of 178 hospital admissions. Financially, this can be seen in savings of thousands of pounds to the NHS. Patients aged 16 and over are referred to the team by the A&E staff and speciality doctors. They may have a physical disability such as a limb in plaster, or be frail or isolated or have fallen. Following a detailed assessment, the team ensures that patients are appropriately and safely discharged from the A&E department into the community with comprehensive care packages in place where needed, thus avoiding readmission. A home assessment is usually carried out to establish that patients are able to manage at home, and support and equipment can be organised as required. If the team feels the discharge is inappropriate or unsafe, the patient is referred back to the A&E or speciality doctors. A telephone follow-up system is also in operation in which members of the team telephone vulnerable patients who have attended the A&E department over the previous 24 hours, checking that they are able to cope. A contact number for the Team is usually left with these patients.
The A&E Liaison Team also provides a communication link between the A&E department and community services a link we are continually trying to strengthen. The team liaise regularly with local services such as GPs, District Nurses, the Elderly Hospital at Home Team, the evening and night nurses, therapists. Social Services and voluntary organisations as well as services out of the area such as Merton & Sutton and Lambeth. With such a communication network in place, the team hopes to improve the understanding of the different care roles within the A&E department, Community Health and Social Services.
If anyone would like any further information about the team, please do not hesitate to contact us on 401-3658 or Pager 01893 298087. Team members are: Marketta Kanninen (District Nurse) Rebecca Godwin (Community Staff Nurse) Helen Barker (Occupational Therapist) Annette McPartland (Care Manager) Michelle Hughes (Red Cross Volunteer Co-ordinator) Rebecca Godwin RGN, Dip HE Nursing Studies
The Education Board is pleased to announce that there is still some money remaining in both the LIZ and the Non-LIZ budgets. Any doctors who wish to submit a Personal Development Plan may do so. The current criteria for approvals are available from the Link Office. Usually course fees will be paid. No travel or accommodation will be reimbursed. Priority for locum fees (at the standard BMA rate of £145 per day) will be given to practices without a LIZ Assistant, and to doctors from practices with three partners or less. Locum cover will be granted to practices with four partners or more at the Board's discretion. PDP forms are available from Alison Lawton on 0181-401 3993. The Education Board meets on the first Tuesday of each month.
Alison Lawton Primary Care Adviser
UPDATE for GLUCOSE MONITORING Q.A. SCHEME
The test medium will arrive in participating practices during the week of 11 May.
· It needs to go into the FRIDGE on receipt please.
· All staff monitoring patients' blood glucose levels in the practice should complete the test within 7 days of receipt. Instructions will be enclosed with the medium for completing the test and the result form. Prompt return of completed result forms to the Link Office would be appreciated.
Cheryl Roper
Croydon Carnival 4 July 1998 Lloyd Park Calling all General Practitioners and Practice Nurses
We are looking for GPs and Practice Nurses to be available throughout the day to provide informal health education to Croydon residents. Any suggestions for interaction with the general public would be gratefully appreciated. If you would like to give up no more than two hours (between 11:00am and 5:00pm) of your day to the Carnival, please contact Lorna at the General Practice Link Office on 0181-401 3990 who will arrange a rota.
CENTRAL CROYDON COMMISSIONING GROUP (C3G)
Having gone live on 1 April, we now have most of our staff in place. Terasa Wilkins Project Administrator Nicky Kaye Information Analyst Rena Amin Locality Pharmacist Dipti Gandhi Locality Pharmacist Sarah Watkin Locality Pharmacist Mark Robinson, the Principal Pharmacist, will join us on 1st June. Prescribing is the main priority for this year and we are working closely with practices on practice formularies, areas of high cost drugs (for example, ulcer healing, NSAIDs and antidepressants), and most excitingly improving the pharmaceutical interface with secondary care. This will include providing better drug histories to hospital when patients are admitted and ensuring changes in medication are implemented within the practice when patients are discharged. Two of the locality pharmacists will be working within Mayday to offer pharmaceutical care to Central Locality patients when they are inpatients and to liase with hospital staff to ensure smooth pharmaceutical discharge, as well as working to reduce any drug related re-admissions. IT developments are progressing well, with the aim being to connect all practices together to the Project Office and the Health Authority via the NHS Net. We are taking a global view of areas such as hospital and community activity, referrals, prescribing, waiting lists and emergency admissions and exploring ways of producing information on these areas in a user-friendly way to make understanding and planning straightforward. A Patient Network has been established. This is a partnership between a range of voluntary groups, patient participation groups and CHC. It will work with the project team to set up communication networks with patients and will have a member present at the C3G Statutory Sub Committee, which all Primary Care groups will be required to have. We are currently meeting with all providers and Social Services to start work on priorities identified for the locality at a workshop with all PHCTs in C3G, which was held before going live. Now the team is in place, we will recommence the production of the regular Central Croydon Commissioning Group newsletter, which may be of use to everyone for the planning of Primary Care Groups, which is currently under way. Please contact us if you would like any more information. (0181 401-3979).
Philippa Robinson, Project Manager
Dr Alex Trompetas, Chairman
Report from the 15th Annual Practice Nurse Conference, University of York, 15-17th April 1998
The theme of this years' Conference was "The Three Ages of Life' and covered topics ranging from the 'Foetal Origins of Heart Disease' to 'Growing Old Disgracefully'. Christine Hancock opened the conference by stating that: This is an opportunity for Nurses to make things happen, shape the future and be involved in developing Primary Care in response to "The New N.H.S. and Our Healthier Nation. Papers". Ms. Hancock said that Nurses need to take a strong lead and that this was especially appropriate for Practice Nurses as this group has already demonstrated the ability to negotiate change, e.g. through the Pensions campaign and the portfolio route for the Specialist Practitioner Qualification. Mr. Frank Dobson Secretary of State for Health, said in his address that this country has a unique system of Primary Care which we can be proud of. Mr. Dobson also stated that: "Practice Nurses were acutely conscious of their patient's needs as they are frequently the first point of contact with Health Care services. Patients have high expectations, which are reflected in the confidence shown in Practice Nurses and their ability to make things 'better'. Practice Nurses often assist their patients through difficult and complicated treatment". The range of topics covered at the workshops reflected the wide range of skills and expertise that Practice Nurses are continuing to develop in response to their patient's needs. Each year there are inspiring examples of Nurse led projects and Catherine Baraniak's presentation on the progress of one of these projects offered an insight into a new option for delivery of care for a General Practice population. Her work has been innovative and sympathetic to locality needs, and inspiring for those who wish to push the boundaries and develop new ways of delivering a service. The debate was lively and included topics such as Clinical Nurse Specialists, MMR Vaccination and Practice Nurse involvement in the development of Primary Care Groups. Pat Cantrill, Nursing Officer for the Department of Health concluded the Conference by stating that Practice Nurses will be involved in the development of Primary Care Groups as they are an essential part of Primary Care.
Croydon Practice Nurse Group
Hepatitis A:
· Is a viral infection of the liver
· Transmitted by eating food and drink contaminated with a virus · With most children the clinical features of the infection do not occur
· The severity of the disease depends on the immune state of the patient and the infecting dose of the virus
· Prevention includes - avoiding ice cubes in drinks, unclean water and poor food preparation
· Vaccination reduces the risk of acquiring the virus
Taken in part from Traveller World Wide Health Information Service and brought to you by the Croydon Practice Nurse Group Committee
The Link Office is the proud possessor of a colour printer which although rather slow, produces some colourful documents. If you would like to produce some A4 posters for waiting areas perhaps, or just to produce some attractive in-house information, the Link Office would be happy to assist. We also use a software program which has a library of 3000 clip arts to liven up any text. In addition we can assist with laminating for presentations but this would incur a small charge for the actual laminate (approximately £1.50 per sheet). The library now has a total of 72 videos, which the Link Office would be happy to send you on loan. A list of the available videos is included with this month's Link News. Please contact Lorna at the GPLO.
NATIONAL NURSES DAY May 12th 1998 Here is the perfect opportunity you have been waiting for to buy your indispensable Practice Nurse that bunch of flowers!!!!!!
The GPLO does not necessarily endorse or support any of the positions, products or people advertised herein.
Dr Irfan requires an experienced Practice Nurse. 7 - 10 hours (flexible) per week. Please contact the Practice on 01737-553660