Page last updated: 1 May, 2020, 11:52am
E-briefing (Issue 20) - 15 April 2020
Welcome to the COVID-19 e-briefing to support GP practices across mid and south Essex with operational information and advice.
Note: all previous bulletins can be found here.
Please continue to send feedback about how we can improve this e-briefing by using the ‘send feedback’ button below.
IN THIS ISSUE:
- Update: guidance on changes to outpatient care
- Holding outpatient referrals
- Supporting mental wellbeing
- COVID-19 end of life care
- PPE guidance
- Mid and south Essex broadcast teleconferences
- Wanted: practices to test video group clinics in primary care
- NHSE primary care COVID-19 bulletin
Updates from Wider System in Mid and South Essex
Update: guidance on changes to outpatient care
Please see below an updated version of the briefing included in Monday’s bulletin. Click below for the documents that are referenced in the main briefing:
- Two week wait referrals for suspected cancer (letter for GPs)
- Two week wait referrals action plan
- MSE Outpatients Diagnostics Imaging Services
- Basildon Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic Ophthalmology
Briefing on changes to outpatient care
Holding outpatient referrals
You will be aware that Mid and South Essex Hospital Group are no longer accepting non-urgent referrals as part of the management of outpatient care in response to COVID-19 pandemic.
Note: Details of a new, instant secure messaging app called Pando being rolled out across all specialties across the Mid and South Essex University Hospitals Group was included in Monday’s bulletin.
One feature of Pando is ‘Ask Advice’ which gives GPs the opportunity to reach out to a team of secondary care professionals under high priority specialities for advice on how to proceed with patients care.
For those patients who require a routine referral at a later date, please below step by step guides on how to ‘Schedule a Task’ via SystmOne, EMIS and Vision; to enable you to set a task to remind you that a patient requires a test or routine referral at a future date. Please share this information with appropriate members of staff within your practice.
Please note this does not apply to 2WW referrals which should continue to referred in the usual way.
Support with Day to Day Issues
Supporting mental wellbeing
Over the last few weeks, we have shared a variety of different types of support available to primary care staff to take care of their mental wellbeing. Click on the button below to read through the different offers available.
View free mental wellbeing support
COVID-19 end of life care
An email was sent to GP practices across the STP last Monday.
Following this communication we received some questions on where practices can find the Community Treatment Escalation Plan (TEP) on their clinical systems.
See below more detailed ‘how to’ information, together with a word version of the community treatment escalation plan.
PPE guidance
Latest guidance can be found here. An updated video shows users how to safely put on and take off PPE. Click here to see the use of recommended PPE in primary care. Please also see the additional considerations for COVID-19.
Mid and South Essex broadcast teleconferences
Please download the below document for details of future mid and south Essex primary care broadcast teleconferences.
Telephone Number: 0330 336 4321
Today’s teleconference details: 15/04/2020, 13:00, Audience code: 22996834#
Download teleconference schedule
Wanted: practices to test video group clinics in primary care
NHS England and Improvement has commissioned Redmoor Health to sign up interested practices as “sentinels” for video group clinics (VGCs). Click below for more information and how to apply.
Please email: [email protected] for more information.
NHSE primary care COVID-19 bulletin
Click here for NHS England’s primary care Covid-19 bulletin which includes items on:
- Patients who need support whilst staying at home
- Primary care webinar with Nikki Kanani and Ed Waller Thursday 16 April 5-6pm
Digital First Primary Care team webinars on practical steps that practices should take to establish a total triage model can be found below, please click on the links for more information.
- 15 April, 1:00 – 2:00pm: remote total triage using Engage Health
- 16 April, 4.40 – 5.00pm: COVID-19 giving your patients access to online services remotely
- 17 April, 2:00 – 3:00pm: remote total triage using Sense.ly
For information
Media enquiries
Please email all enquiries to: [email protected]
Public health advice
Please direct members of the public here for the latest advice on COVID-19.
Public information campaign
For the latest COVID-19 campaign resources, please visit the Campaign Resource Centre (please note, you will need to register to download campaign resources for the campaign).
Visit Campaign Resource Centre
Primary Care-Related Enquiries:
Please direct all primary care queries relating to COVID-19 via [email protected]. These emails are reviewed routinely by all of the local CCG Primary Care Teams through-out the day, 7 days a week, and responses prioritised.