FAQs GP Contract 14/15
Following the announcement of the greatest set of contract changes since 2004 the GPC has produced a short FAQ. The GPC priority was to address the greatest concerns expressed by grassroots GPs – the damaging impact of last year’s sweeping imposed changes, exacerbating bureaucracy and box ticking medicine to unmanageable levels – and, as with all negotiations, there was some give and take by both parties.

Flu Vaccinations for GP Locums
NHS England and GPC have agreed that locum GPs should attend the practice where they are registered as patients to get their flu vaccination, and that practice can then claim the payment via CQRS using the Read code 9OX4. which will be acceptable by the Area Team. A statement to this effect have been added to the BMA website. Vaccination of all other staff falls under the practice occupational health responsibility and it is for individual practices to decide how they will organise a provision for their staff to be vaccinated. A number of approaches have been used across the NHS including buddy/reciprocal agreements with neighbouring practices to vaccinate each others staff and a voucher scheme with pharmacists.

Short Shelf Life of Fluenz
We have been asked to remind practices that Fluenz® has a shorter shelf life (18 weeks) than other influenza vaccines and some of this will have passed by the time the vaccine has been supplied to you. The expiry date on the nasal spray applicator should always be checked before use. Vaccine has been ordered to cover the period over which historically the flu vaccine has been used, extending from September to mid-December. All the Fluenz® will have expired by 16th January 2014. In the light of this it will be important to ensure that efforts are made to vaccinate children before the Christmas holidays.

GP Services over Christmas and New Year
This GPC guidance designed to provide clarity around what is permitted with regard to Christmas and New Year opening was shared with via email last week. The Area Team have also had sight of this guidance and will be issuing a letter to practices this week to clarify their position with regard to Christmas and New Year opening.

Issuing Medical Certificates of Cause of Death or Cremation 4 (“Part 1”) Forms Outside the Practice Area
We have been contacted by practices concerned that funeral directors are increasingly requesting GPs to travel outside their practice area following the deceased being moved to a chapel of rest. With regard to “death certification” i.e. issuing an MCCD – if you have been looking after the patient in their last illness then you are obliged to issue, free of charge, a medical certificate of the cause of death. However, you do not always need to see the body to do so. With regard to Cremation 4 (“Part 1”) forms – there is no obligation to carry out this work and it does levy a fee. It goes without saying that GPs will do their utmost to assist the family and normally do carry out this work. However, if it is proving difficult/prohibitive owing to the deceased being moved outside your practice area you can request the funeral director arrange for the deceased to be brought to a suitable place to allow you to complete the work or you can request a higher fee to cover mileage and time. You can decline to complete cremation certification work but you may wish to try whatever possible to comply with the request first – for example offer to meet at an alternative place or at a time outside surgery hours. If you are unwilling or unable to undertake the work you have a responsibility to inform the undertaker as soon as possible after the request is made.