Out of Area Registration Guidance, NHS England
Following a number of queries from practices NHS England have circulated this quick guide and FAQs which provides a summary of the key points within the Out of Area Patients (Patient Choice) Scheme Guidance and SLA. If you have any queries, please contact Jenny Long (jenniferlong@nhs.net or 01138 247 220).

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) Claimants
From 23 February 2015 DWP will begin reassessing existing Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claimants in Cleveland for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). From that date the DWP will further extend the rollout of PIP natural reassessment to some DLA claimants living in Cleveland (TS) where:

• an existing DLA claimant’s fixed term award is coming to an end, or
• they are approaching age 16, or
• the DWPs receive information about a change in their care or mobility needs, or
• an individual chooses to claim PIP instead of their DLA.

It has been assured, nationally, that the existing assessment provider has sufficient capacity to handle the increased volumes. The DWP has said consistently that it would take a controlled approach to the introduction of PIP, including the reassessment of existing DLA claimants, continuously learning lessons from live running and the gradual roll out of natural reassessments is to ensure that the DWP can continue to focus on reducing delays and improving the service to claimants.  Existing DLA claimants who have a lifetime or indefinite DLA award will not be affected until at least October 2015, unless the DWP receives information about a change in their condition that would affect their rate of payment or if they reach the age of 16.

Patient Online Access, NHS England Letter
NHS England provided this letter with regards to practice requirement to promote and offer online services by 31 March 2015. If you have any queries or require assistance please contact the Patient Online team on 0800 011 80 82 Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm or email England.patient-online@nhs.net.

Basic Legal Structures for Working at Scale, GPC Guidance
We are aware of a number of discussions taking place across Tees with regard to working at scale and future planning. As mentioned previously, CLMC is more than happy to facilitate and/or provide advice as required and we will certainly be focussing on this area of work as we look at a general practice service review and how services can be delivered going forward to aid the commissioning of services that have historically been provided in general practice but practices may cease due to reduced funding, resources and workforce. Practices may find this GPC guidance covering different legal forms that GP ‘networks’ can adopt helpful for consideration in their discussions. The GPC is continuing actively to engage in the topic of working at scale (also known as GP networks or GP federations) and additional guidance, including work covering key steps to setting up a GP ‘network’, is currently being developed and will be launched soon.

CQC Registration and Inspections, GPC Guidance
GPC has issued two separate pieces of guidance on the CQC registration and inspection procedure.

Session GP Newsletter
The latest monthly e-newsletter for sessional GPs focuses on the findings from the recent GPC appraisal and revalidation survey.

BMA ‘No More Games’ Campaign
BMA has launched its ‘No More Games’ campaign calling on all political parties to stop playing games with the NHS, focusing on three areas:

• No More Games with the public’s health;
• No More Games with NHS funding; and
• No More Games with who is providing healthcare.

The GPC is fully supportive of the campaign and urges GPs to get involved and add their voices to the campaign. Full details of how to get involved and campaign materials to download are available on the BMA’s website. The NHS is one of the UK’s towering achievements and for too long it’s been used to play political games. The BMA believes this must end now and is calling for an open and honest public debate about the future of the NHS. The BMA has not run a major public campaign for some years. The fact that we’re doing so now shows how strongly BMA members feel about what’s happening to the NHS. Most BMA members work in the NHS. Decades of political game playing, including successive disruptive and wasteful reorganisations, have taken their toll on the health service. The Punch and Judy politics over the NHS has a direct impact on the care which doctors can provide to patients, as well as on doctors’ morale. These games have been played by politicians across the political spectrum for short-term gains over decades. In the run-up to a general election and at a critical juncture for the health service, the BMA is calling for all members and doctors to help get the message heard, by adding their voices and saying No More Games with the NHS. The launch of the campaign was received extensive news coverage and there has been widespread billboard advertising. A programme of further activity is planned over the coming months.