Workforce Minimum Data Set, Update
Our advice remains that practices should await further guidance before proceeding with the preparation of the data. As a reminder, the first data submission will be due at the end of May, so we will issue further guidance as soon as possible. GPC has now held an urgent meeting with the DH to highlight the areas of concern. The meeting was positive, with a willingness on both sides to work together to resolve the issues. GPC and DH will meet again very soon. GPC will also soon be in a position to share the advice received from the ICO and are drafting a GPC response to the Privacy Impact Assessment consultation.

Patient Identification on Registration
We have been made aware that NHS Fraud is promoting the seeking of photo ID in registration of a new patient as best practice. We reiterate previous advice issued by the LMC and the GPC – we do not recommend seeking ID on registration as, if you adopt this policy you must ensure it is applied to every patient who wishes to register with your practice and it is incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to operate this policy universally without discrimination. Your job is not passport control – all practices have enough bureaucracy and work without unnecessarily adding this burden. If you become aware of fraud you do have a responsibility to report this to NHS Fraud who will then take the appropriate action. As the NHS Fraud guidance highlights: ‘if the patient does not provide identification, the registration should still be accepted’. You cannot decline to register purely on the grounds of no identification being provided as to do so could be discriminatory; therefore requesting ID is not reasonable. Additionally, do you feel you and your staff are skilled in recognising fake ID if you are putting this process in place to prevent fraudulent behaviour?

Tamiflu for Prophylaxis of Influenza in Nursing & Care Homes, GPC Letter to PHE
GPC provided this letter  to Public Health England in order to clarify the position with regard to pressure to prescribe Tamiflu for the prophylaxis of influenza in nursing and care homes where there have been confirmed cases of influenza. The GPC are very clear that this work would require an enhanced service and until this has been negotiated GPs should pass this work back to PHE to deliver.

GPC Elections, Cleveland
Nominations are sought in the election of voting members of the GPC as regional representatives for the Durham/Cleveland LMC constituency. Candidates must be:

• GPs who contribute to the voluntary levy of an LMC in the constituency and who provide personally or perform NHS primary medical services for a minimum of 52 sessions distributed evenly over six months in the year immediately before election (5 March 2015); or

• GPs who are on the doctors retainer scheme and who contribute to the voluntary levy of an LMC in the constituency; or

• medically qualified secretaries of an LMC in the constituency.

Nominations should be made on forms available from the GPC at the British Medical Association, BMA House, Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9JP (tel: 020 7383 6375) and on the BMA website. Each nomination form must be signed by the candidate, five proposers and a representative of the LMC who can confirm that the candidate and proposers contribute to the voluntary levy.  Nomination forms and statements in support of candidature should be returned to: Holly Higgs, GPC, British Medical Association, BMA House, Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9JP by no later than 5pm on Thursday 5 March 2015. Please note that it is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure that GPC have received their completed nomination forms and statements.