Bulletin 06.05.2013
Possible Scam Targeting Elderly Patients
We have been made aware of a possible scam whereby market researchers target elderly patients. Elderly patients in the Middlesbrough area have received telephone calls from market researchers who have a lot of the patient’s personal details, including medical conditions, and seek to make an appointment with the patient in their own home. This could be a genuine organisation but it did cause alarm to the patients and prompted them to contact their GP practice to ask if the practice had provided personal/medical details to this organisation. This has been reported to the police. If any other practices are alerted to this activity please advise your patients to double check the organisation before making an appointment and alert the police if they are concerned or, with patient consent, you can alert the police on behalf of the patient if you consider it appropriate to do so.
CQRS Bulletin
HSCIC has published a CQRS bulletin which practices may find useful. For any queries regarding CQRS, please email cqrsfeedback@hscic.gov.uk or cqrsservicedesk@gdit.com.
Childhood (2 – 3 yr old) Influenza Vaccination Programme
The Department of Health, Public Health England and NHS England have published this letter and service specification. explaining the extension of the 2013/14 flu immunisation programme to healthy children (two and three year olds). From 1 September, practices should vaccinate children who attain the age of two and three years, but not yet four, on 1 September 2013 on either:
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a proactive call basis, if not considered at-risk, or
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a proactive call and recall basis, if considered at-risk
Fluenza is the recommended vaccine which is administered as a nasal spray and an item of service fee of £7.64 will be paid for each eligible patient.
MMR Guidance and Audit
NHS Employers has published further guidance about the MMR catch-up campaign and the audit requirements for this. This is in addition to the already existing service specification which was introduced on 25 April 2013.