CQC Myth Busters
CQC’s National GP Advisor, Nigel Sparrow, has been drafting some ‘mythbusters’ guidance for GP practices which you may find helpful in preparing for the new round of CQC inspections.

Local Dialling Codes
From 1 October 2014 it is important that patients add the area dialling code (01642, 01287, 01429 – apologies if I have missed any!) as appropriate before calling a local number. The charge will remain the same but, if they forget to do this they will get a free recorded message and will need to hang up and dial again which may cause them inconvenience and delay. Additionally, you may wish to alert patients that they will also need to check other equipment such as personal and home alarms – particularly if they rely on telehealth services e.g. carelines or pendants.  You may also wish to check any numbers you have stored within your systems have the appropriate dialling code stored.

Bulletin 234
02.09.14

Prescription of Drugs Regulations Amendments 2014
Schedule 2 of the Prescription of Drugs Regulations has been amended as follows 2. In Schedule 2 to the National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) (Prescription of Drugs etc.) Regulations 2004(b) (drugs, medicines and other substances that may be ordered only in certain circumstances), in column 1 of the table (drugs), in the entry relating to drugs for the treatment of erectile dysfunction —

(a) omit “Apomorphine Hydrochloride”, “Moxisylyte Hydrochloride”, “Sildenafil” and “Thymoxamine Hydrochloride”; and
(b) after—
(i) “Alprostadil” insert “Avanafil”, and
(ii) “Vardenafil” insert “Viagra”

GPC Guidance – Ebola Virus
A Cascade alert was issued on 1 August via area teams concerning patients presenting with a positive travel history to Ebola Virus areas within the previous 21 days. There is a complex viral hemorrhagic fever risk assessment algorithm which suggests that practices should carry out complex investigations. This is a simplified version of the algorithm, explaining which steps practices would need to follow in case of a potential Ebola case presenting at the practice.

CQC Guidance Significant Event Analysis
You may find it helpful to be aware of this CQC guidance on Significant Event Analysis.