Welcome     

Welcome to the December edition of the NHS South Yorkshire Primary Care Bulletin.  

In this edition you can read about a pioneering approach to tackling economic inactivity developed here in South Yorkshire and success at the 2024 HSJ Awards. You can also access a series of videos of primary care professionals, aimed at the public, to educate about the different roles in primary care and when they should be used. The videos form part of NHS South Yorkshire’s winter campaign but can be used year round. Please see the item below for links to resources which we hope will support patient communications for winter pressures.

Also just to mention that as part of the Red Tape Challenge we are still collating examples of best practice and case studies so please share anything you have with england.redtapechallenge2024@nhs.net.  

Lastly, we wanted to wish all of our primary care colleagues a very merry Christmas and look forward to working with you in the new year!        

Anthony Fitzgerald, Executive Place Director for Doncaster and Executive Lead for Primary Care, NHS South Yorkshire        

Dr Andy Hilton, Chair, NHS South Yorkshire Primary Care Alliance      

GP bulletin header 2024.jpg

Items covered in this edition include:  

  • South Yorkshire receives Government backing to help build pathways to work and tackle UK's economic inactivity crisis 

  • South Yorkshire NHS Teams Take Top Prize at 2024 HSJ Awards 

  • Will you 'show up' to help tackle cancer? 

  • Videos to support with primary care pressures

  • Influenza season 2024/25: Use of antiviral medicines 

  • Flu and COVID-19 vaccinations for eligible frontline health and social care staff 

  • Government restrictions on use of puberty suppressing hormones (puberty blockers): information for prescribers and pharmacists / dispensing doctors

  • Update on physician associates and anaesthesia associates letter 

  • Infected Blood Inquiry document retention 

  • New leaflet: pregnancy and vaccines 

  • Transforming Primary Care Podcast 

  • Pancreatic Case Finding, fully funded by the National Cancer Programme Team 

  • Letter from Sheffield Teaching hospitals regarding report availability for NOUS mutual aid  

  • Could your patients get help with the cost of a healthy diet?   

  • SY ICB Epilepsy Benchmarking 

  • Pharmacy First Bulletin

  • Health and wellbeing support for health and care staff – social media accounts to follow 

  • Bereavement Education

  • South Yorkshire Primary Care Workforce and Training Hub 

News 

South Yorkshire receives Government backing to help build pathways to work and tackle UK's economic inactivity crisis 

Pathways-to-Work-report-large-banner-edit.pngA pioneering approach to tackling economic inactivity, developed through Barnsley’s Pathways to Work Commission, which aims to get 10,000 South Yorkshire residents back into work over the next four years is set to receive Government funding. 

Unveiling the Government’s Get Britain Working White Paper, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Liz Kendall MP, confirmed up to £10million of funding for a trailblazer programme that will be led by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), focussed on improving the support available to people who are economically inactive due to ill health, helping them return to work.  

As part of the trailblazer, the South Yorkshire Integrated Care System will also become an NHS England Health and Growth Accelerator area, receiving a share of £45million.   

Read more here South Yorkshire receives Government backing to help build pathways to work and tackle UK's economic inactivity crisis :: South Yorkshire I.C.B 

South Yorkshire NHS Teams Take Top Prize at 2024 HSJ Awards 

Place-based Partnership & Integrated Care Award_body image.jpgA collaborative effort to improve hydration for care home residents in South Yorkshire has received top honours at the 2024 HSJ awards.  

NHS South Yorkshire ICB Medicines Management Team and The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, Nutrition and Dietetics Team were winners in the Place-based Partnership and Integrated Care Award category for their Care Homes Hydration Project.    

Read more here: South Yorkshire NHS Teams Take Top Prize at 2024 HSJ Awards :: South Yorkshire I.C.B 

 

Will you 'show up' to help tackle cancer? 

Men talking - News thumbnail.jpgA new movement to tackle high rates of cancer has launched across South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw. 

SYB Shows Up is calling on individuals, organisations and communities to work together to help realise the bold ambitions of a new cancer strategy for the region. 

The aims are to encourage people to ‘show up’ for each other and to recognise cancer as a long-term condition, address the inequalities in diagnosis and treatment across our communities, and to develop plans and resources to promote effective prevention measures. 

Read more here: Will you 'show up' to help tackle cancer? :: South Yorkshire, Bassetlaw & North Derbyshire Cancer Alliance 

Primary Care Support 

Videos to support with primary care pressures

gp-the-best-place-to-work.gifNHS South Yorkshire are developing a series of videos of primary care professionals, aimed at the public, to educate about the different roles in primary care and when they should be used.

The videos form part of NHS South Yorkshire’s winter campaign but can be used year round.

There are currently two videos available:

  • GP video – Dr Lisa Philip discusses the roles in GP practices, and wider primary care, and explains why sometimes patients are offered appointments with different professionals.

Available to view here: https://youtu.be/CIWuPBtcy7c

  • Pharmacy video – Pharmacist, Julie, discusses the Pharmacy First scheme and how local pharmacists can help with 7 common conditions without the patient having to see a GP first

Available to view here: https://youtu.be/ArB8vnr7sOg

  • A video with a First Contact Physiotherapist will be available in the new year.

Please share the video links on your websites and social media sites, where appropriate.

If you would like a downloadable version of the video to use screens in your practice or pharmacy, please email syicb.communications@nhs.net.

Please see here for our winter and vaccine campaign materials where you will find downloadable content to help support patient communications for winter pressures.

Influenza season 2024/25: Use of antiviral medicines  

patient 4054923_1280.jpgPlease see here for a letter from the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England re Influenza season 2024/25: Use of antiviral medicines. 

Flu and COVID-19 vaccinations for eligible frontline health and social care staff 

Nurse writing.pngPlease see here a letter from NHS England on Flu and COVID-19 vaccinations for eligible frontline health and social care staff. 

NHSE logoGovernment restrictions on use of puberty suppressing hormones (puberty blockers): information for prescribers and pharmacists / dispensing doctors  

Please see here: PRN011743_i Updated: Government restrictions on use of puberty suppressing hormones (puberty blockers): information for prescribers and pharmacists / dispensing doctors. 

Physician associate pic.jpgUpdate on physician associates and anaesthesia associates letter  

Please see here for an update from NHS England on physician associates and anaesthesia associates. 

Infected Blood Inquiry document retention 

bloodPlease see here a letter from the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England regarding Infected Blood Inquiry document retention. 

New leaflet: pregnancy and vaccines 

freestocks-ux53SGpRAHU-unsplash.jpgA new leaflet that describes the free vaccines that can help protect pregnant women, their pregnancy and their newborn baby from the complications of infection has been produced. This is available in a range of community languages and accessible versions. Information on the new leaflet can be found on GOV.UK and it can be ordered on the Health Publications website. 

Transforming Primary Care Podcast 

GP Stock Image.jpgListen to primary care colleagues including GPs, practice managers, and community pharmacists explain why they are using new ways of working, how they introduced them to staff and patients and how they are making a difference. NHS England — North East and Yorkshire » Transforming Primary Care Podcast 

Episode two covers the Pharmacy First Service and episode three is about Getting the most out of the NHS App. 

cancer screening.jpgPancreatic Case Finding, fully funded by the National Cancer Programme Team 

The National Cancer Programme is inviting Cancer Alliances to work with PCNs to deliver a Pancreatic Cancer Case finding pilot to commence in either April or September 2025.   

The pilot will be directed by the National Cancer Programme, who will provide funding and resources and lead an evaluation to determine if intensified and targeted support is effective in improving the implementation of NG12 and the earlier diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.   

Please see here slides and application process for more information. 

Letter from Sheffield Teaching hospitals regarding report availability for NOUS mutual aid 

Sheffield GP.jpgPlease find here a letter from Sheffield Teaching hospitals regarding report availability for NOUS mutual aid. This predominantly impacts Sheffield GPs, as they will have patients being scanned elsewhere. Included here for information for other places.  

Pregnancy.pngCould your patients get help with the cost of a healthy diet?   

Pregnant women and people with children under four who are on low incomes could get extra help with NHS Healthy Start. People on the scheme receive regular payments to spend on healthy food and milk and can collect free Healthy Start vitamins.   

Help make sure your patients don’t miss out by downloading promotional materials to use in your practice. The NHS Healthy Start communications toolkit contains digital display screens, leaflets, posters and more in English and other languages.  

Your patients could be eligible if they receive certain benefits and are more than 10 weeks pregnant or have children under the age of four. If they are pregnant and under 18, they are eligible, even if they don’t receive any benefits.   

Find out more about NHS Healthy Start or sign up to receive regular email updates about the scheme.   

Details of the scheme can also be accessed via the Healthier Together Website https://sybhealthiertogether.nhs.uk/parentscarers/general-wellbeing/food-eating/help-cost-food 

SY ICB Epilepsy Benchmarking  

hands.jpgSY ICB is working with colleagues in the NHSE NW & NEY Learning Disability & Autism (LDA) Programme and participating in an important benchmarking review of epilepsy services and support for people of all ages with a learning disability.  

This is a critical part of a regional programme of work to reduce premature avoidable death for this vulnerable cohort. We are working in partnership with Midlands & Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit,  Epilepsy Action and Cornwall Intellectual Disability Equitable Research (CIDER) of Plymouth University to complete this exercise.  

We have now reached the mobilisation phase of the benchmarking project, and key organisations across South Yorkshire are being asked to support this programme of work by completing the benchmarking tool (as far as they reasonably can) that is being used to understand the qualities, standards, and variation of services for people with a learning disability who have epilepsy. All submissions will be collated and will form part of the overarching South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board submission. 

Whilst the Benchmarking tool is designed for adults with a learning disability who also have epilepsy, we will be completing one separately for C&YP. Submissions are required no later than Friday 20 December 2024.  Returns should be sent to anita.winter@nhs.net  

A series of MS forms are being used to capture the views of a wider range of stakeholders across the system:   

If you have any questions, please contact: anita.winter@nhs.net  

 

pharmacy-218692_1280.jpgPharmacy First Bulletin 

Click link: https://mailchi.mp/cpsy/pharmacy-first-bulletin-6742898?e=[UNIQID] for the latest news and support available for Pharmacy First. 

technology-3353701_1280.jpgHealth and wellbeing support for health and care staff – social media accounts to follow 

The People Experience Team in the NHS South Yorkshire provide various offers to support the health & social care workforce, across South Yorkshire, with their mental health and wellbeing. See the SYICS Workforce Wellbeing webpage for more information. All of the team’s main links can be accessed on their Linktree page.  

The team advertise a wide range of webinars, events and courses supporting mental health and wellbeing, retention, equality, diversity and inclusion and talent on a platform of activities.  

However, to ensure they can reach all of the health and social care workforce, they also advertise on social media platforms X (Twitter) and Instagram. To help the team to get this support to the people on the front line and in all sectors, could you please like and share the following accounts with your colleagues: 

  • X (Twitter): @SYICB_PE  

  • Insta: @SYICB_PE. 

Events and Training 

Bereavement Education 

Message from Tracy Hoggarth, Midwifery Clinical Lead for the LMNS. 

All our Trusts in SY ICB have signed up to the National Bereavement Care Pathway (NBCP) which has been created with the collaboration of partners (including charities and professional bodies) so that high quality bereavement care and consistent bereavement care is to be provided to women and their families each and every time a pregnancy is lost or a baby dies. 

There are five bereavement care pathways which include: 

  • Miscarriage 

  • Termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly 

  • Stillbirth 

  • Neonatal Death 

  • Sudden unexplained death in Infancy (SUDI) 

More information on the NBCP and the associated standards can be found at https://www.nbcpathway.org.uk/nbcp-pathways/ 

There are two free e-learning modules available online.  One module is suitable for anyone who may come into contact with a person or family experiencing pregnancy or baby loss bereavement either through contact at work or in their own home life, and the other module available is dedicated for health professionals.    These can be accessed at https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/national-bereavement-care-pathway/  

We would really appreciate if you could circulate this email to colleagues within your practice, to not only raise awareness of pregnancy and baby loss, but to also encourage the online modules to be completed – so that families are getting consistent care from all professionals they come into contact with. 

Should you have any further questions or comments, please do not hesitate to reach out to the NBCP, or myself . tracy.hoggarth@nhs.net and I can also signpost to individual leads within each trust if needed. 

South Yorkshire Primary Care Workforce and Training Hub  

South Yorkshire Primary Care Workforce and Training Hub have a programme of support and development for NMP / IP in primary care.  

These are open to all Nurses (including Practice Nurses, Health Visitors, District Nurses), Advanced Practitioners, Pharmacists, AHPs, PAs and GPs. You do not have to be a prescriber to attend. 

We have a SharePoint page that is rich with resources (including NMP policy), as well as monthly education sessions. All the booking links are via the SharePoint page: https://nhs.sharepoint.com/sites/msteams_85ed75/SitePages/Non-Medical-Prescribing-(NMP).aspx?CT=1673001680881&OR=OWA-NT&CID=94112470-06d2-3b81-6904-aee25ac289e2 

January 22 12:30-13:30: Managing Constipation in Children and Young Teenagers – with Dr Sona Matthai (consultant paediatrician) and Saliha Hamroun (specialist nurse)  

February 5 12:30-13:30: Managing Headaches in primary care – Migraines and TTH – with Dr Fiona Mckevitt (Consultant Neurologist) 

March 5 12:30-13:30: Management of urinary incontinence and enuresis in children – With Dr Sona Matthai and Saliha Hamroun. 

We work closely with the ICBs and local practices and federations to tailor support – please get in touch if you would like to discuss further!