Kings Fund Inquiry Survey

The King’s Fund has launched an on-line opinion survey about the quality of care in general practice. It is absolutely essential that every GP responds to this in order to ensure GP opinion is heard. Please contribute to the survey here. Full details of the inquiry are available here.

Pandemic Flu – planned stand down of NPFS 11 February

Due to the decrease in the number of H1N1 cases over recent weeks it has been decided to stand down the NPFS web and phone service, effective from 1am on 11 February 2010. You will need to ensure communications to patients – including websites, posters and leaflets – exclude reference to NPFS, and that you can respond to any H1N1 queries. Note that the service can be restored in seven days, should it be needed. Further information and a communications check list for practices and PCOs are available in Ian Dalton’s letter here and by following this link. A reminder that locally the ACP at Primecare has now closed and 4 pharmacies are now providing this service (PCT are contact for further details if required).

Revalidation Update

You can view the latest edition of the BMA’s Revalidation Newsletter here.

National Audit of Fall and Bone Health in Older People

This letter from the Royal College of Physicians provides outline information with regard to a national clinical audit that will take place between September and December 2010. You may be contacted regarding a small number of patients in this audit period.

GP Health offer CBT

GP Health have now extended service to include Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). Visit their new website for details on this and the other services they offer.

Survey for Sessional GPs

As part of a GPC review into the arrangements for the representation of sessional (salaried and locum) GPs within the GPC and BMA, and at a local level, a working group has put together a survey that will be sent to sessional GPs, who are members of the BMA, next week. The survey will be vital in informing the working group and helping it make recommendations on how sessional GPs will be represented at a national and local level. The results of the survey will also be used as part of next year’s evidence to the Doctors and Dentists Review Body (DDRB) on the remuneration and working patterns of sessional GPs. We would very much encourage sessional GPs who receive the survey to take the time to complete the questionnaire. Sessional GP members who have not received the questionnaire by the end of February, or have questions about this process should contact the BMA’s research department at: info.hperu@bma.org.uk.

Sessional GPs Newsletter

The Sessional GPs Newsletter, Winter 2010, can now be viewed here. Issued quarterly the aim of this newsletter is to keep sessional GPs up to date with the broad range of new and ongoing issues affecting them, and the hard work that the Sessional GPs subcommittee undertakes on their behalf.