Private Prescriptions for Medication/Treatment Available on FP10
We have been made aware of patients approaching a GP to request a private prescription for their NHS care. Practices are reminded that when providing NHS treatment under their contract they must prescribe on an FP10. Practices are cautioned against providing a private prescription for FP10 available medication/treatment for a number of reasons including the obligation to provide an FP10 under the contract, the risk of double prescribing should an FP10 and private script be given and the risk of accusations of fraudulent behaviour. Whilst we understand a patient may request a private prescription if it is considered a cheaper alternative to NHS charges,  a practice cannot be certain of the dispensing fee unless there is an arrangement with a pharmacy which could be seen as improper. Additionally, both patient and practice leave themselves open to accusations of conspiring to defraud the NHS of the FP10 fee – the consequences of which are serious.  CLMC urge practices to use FP10s wherever applicable to avoid this minefield. For further details/queries please contact janice.foster@nhs.net.

Dementia Extract, HSCIC Request
HSCIC have written to practices who have not already accepted the GP extract entitled ‘Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) Subset Extract for Dementia Prevalence 15/16’ (also known as SoS Dementia) to request they accept the extract by the end of Thursday 29 September 2015. GPC recommends that practices comply with this request, which is a legal requirement under the HSCA. The HSCIC confirmed that practices were required to participate in this extract through CQRS by 31 August, and that they are legally required to comply under Section 259(5) of the Health and Social Care Act (HSCA). To clarify, this extract is unrelated to QOF, despite being labelled a QOF subset. It was given this name because the data closely matches a subset of QOF indicators. GPC has asked the HSCIC to use different terminology in future to avoid any confusion. The Joint GPC & RCGP IT Committee (JGPITC) was consulted on this extract, as confirmed in the HSCIC’s communications. The Committee accepted the legal basis of this collection through the HSCA, and that the extract had been approved by both the General Practice Extraction Service (GPES) Independent Advisory Group (IAG) and the Standardisation Committee for Care Information (SCCI).The collection is of non-identifiable, aggregated data specifying the number of people at each practice with a diagnosis of dementia, broken down by age and gender, as well as the number of the practice’s total registered population. This is non-identifiable data and therefore not subject to the fair processing provisions of the Data Protection Act. There is therefore no requirement to inform patients. Further information is provided within the Data Provision Notice. The 2015/16 collection follows a similar collection from practices in 2014/15. The HSCIC intends to publish 2015/16 data on its website from October.

Tamiflu for the Prophylaxis of Influenza in Nursing & Care Homes
GMS regulations are clear that prescribing of Tamiflu for the prophylaxis of influenza in nursing and care homes where there have been confirmed cases of influenza is not included under essential services that practices are required to provide for their registered patients.  Essential Services are defined in the GMS regulations with reference to regulations 15(3) (5) (6) and (8). Although PHE disagreed with this view, GPC sought legal advice on this issue and would like to re-iterate to practices that this work is not covered by their contracts and that if requested, practices should advise PHE (or whoever else who requests this) that unless this service is properly commissioned, they will not be providing it in the event of a flu outbreak. Additional work must be commissioned and funded separately as an Enhanced service. Examples of these are the influenza vaccination programme and catch up MMR vaccination campaign.

Passport Applications
Practices are reminded that doctors/GPs are no longer accepted as counter signatories for passport applications. This was in response to medical profession complaints about the unnecessary workload/high demand and wads put in place March 2015. However, if you are a friend or colleague of the applicant this is still permitted.

GP Workforce Data Collection
The second phase of the GP workforce data collection will commence on 1 October for a 6 week period (close midday 11 November). Practices are required to submit this data and should do so via the via the Primary Care Web Tool (as per the previous submission). This data collection now includes all practice staff (including admin/nonclinical staff) in addition, absence and vacancy data is required and there are changes to mandatory data fields. Clarification of the Fair Processing Notice (FPN), and updates to the guidance documentation are all included on the website. The data collected in March is also now available here.

Responsible, Safe and Sustainable: Towards a New Future for General Practice, GPC Report
GPC have launched their vision for the future of general practice in England; Responsible, safe and sustainable: Towards a new future for general practice. This report is the culmination of a major project launched over a year ago which has included: regional GP consultation events hosted by LMCs; a regional event specifically targeted at sessional and trainee GPs; patient deliberative events; and the major GP survey undertaken in the early months of this year. GPC website contains further information/resources and key recommendations from the report will be taken forward in further activity over the coming year.

Investment in General Practice
Reports on investment in general practice and payments to general practice have been published. It will not surprise practices to learn that yet again there has been a reduction in the general practice share of NHS spend – falling from 10.0% in 2005/6 to a current low of 7.9% in 14/15 (7.4% excluding dispensing drugs).

CCG/Practice Agreement for the Provision of GPSoC & GP IT Services
Many practices have now received an agreement setting out the provision of GP Systems of Choice (GPSoC) and GP IT services for signature by practices and CCGs. The CCG-practice agreement sets out the relative responsibilities of CCGs in providing these services, and each practice’s responsibilities in receipt. The agreement replaces the previous PCT-practice agreement. The deadline for signature of the agreement by practices and CCGs is 31 December 2015. Signature is necessary to ensure each practice’s right to a choice of clinical system is protected, and to help ensure CCGs meet their IT obligations. Where signature is not possible, a resolution should be sought through CCG escalation to their area team. The HSCIC has stated that central IT funding could be withdrawn from practices that have not signed the agreement by the deadline. HSCIC has also published some FAQs.The HSCIC has advised that CCGs and practices are only able to update the three specific appendices. Appendices 1 (summary of services), 2 (support and maintenance service levels) and 3 (escalation procedure), listed below, are subject to local agreement and should be completed by the CCG in consultation with practices. The agreement itself should remain as per the version on the HSCIC/NHS England websites.