DUDLEY LOCAL MEDICAL COMMITTEE
Dudley LMC
C/o Atlantic House
Chairman Dr. Harcharan Singh Sahni Dudley Rd.
Lye Secretary Dr. Tim Horsburgh Stourbridge
Treasurer Dr. Vipin Mittal W. Midlands
DY9 8EL
Phone 01384 426121 Fax. 01384 895130
Dudley LMC website – www. dudleylmc.org.uk.
Minutes 05/03/10
PRESENT: Dr H.Singh Sahni (Chairman), Dr T. Horsburgh (Secretary), Dr Mittal (Treasurer), Dr Bhardwaj, Dr Cartwright, Dr Dawes, Dr Irfan, Dr Kanhaiya, Dr Mahfouz, Dr Nancarrow, and Dr Sinha and Dr Sharma.
In attendance: Mrs. J. Ross (PCT) and Ms Lisa Morrell (Practice Manager Rep)
1. APOLOGIES
Apologies have been received from Dr Blackman for the LMC meeting of 05/03/10.
2. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES
The minutes of the previous meeting held on 05/02/10 were confirmed and signed as correct.
PRESENTATION: Paula Clarke the Chief Executive of Dudley Group of Hospitals Foundation Trust.
Paula Clarke acknowledged that the rating, local reputation and image of the Dudley Group of Hospital has suffered over the last year and highlighted strategies that will improve this situation. The need to make financial savings was noted, although there has been a surplus which will be used to improve hospital equipment and infrastructure.
There are plans for a 700 space car park for staff which will free the parking at the front of the hospital for patients. A different model will be used to deal with referrals, choose & book and OPAs. Proposals will be made to the PCT arising from the Transforming Community services (TCS) initiative. Communication between the hospital and primary care has improved by the electronic discharge letters and an improvement in X-ray reporting. A review of medical secretary services will also improve communication. Initiatives are been put in place to address the back logs of OPAs especially in specialities such as Dermatology.
The issuing of sick notes for patients who have been hospitalised was raised as an area for improvement. Patients are often told to acquire these from their GP who may not have the relevant information. Action: Dr Sharma to send to Dr Horsburgh paperwork used by Wolverhampton.
The presentation ended on a note of optimism for the future. Enhanced vertical integration of care pathways between primary and secondary care being the desired future shape of healthcare provision in Dudley. Paula Clarke agreed to attend July’s LMC with Paul Harrison (Medical Director). The Chair thanked her for her attendance and looked forward to a productive future working relationship.
3. MATTERS ARISING
3.1 Summary Care Records (SCR) – According to the BMA patients do not have enough information about electronic patient records and it is too hard for them to opt out. Practices can opt out, this lead to the discussion concerning the issues that this could potentially occur, including the scenario of the lack of information required by a clinician in a different location treating a patient leading to a clinical incident. The LMC declared its support of the SCR. Opt out forms are available on the website.
3.2 Swine Flu – DoH has advised practices to continue vaccinating at risk groups opportunistically beyond the end of March. For this they will continue to receive payment. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has suggested that the vaccine can be offered as a travel vaccine for those travelling to Southern Hemisphere countries during their flu season. This is likely to be provided through private travel health providers.
4. CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATIONS
4.1 Transforming Community services (TCS) – One of the central themes to TCS has been to separate the commissioning arm of the PCT from the provider arm. The financial position of the NHS and the proposal to reduce the overall cost of administration by one third has meant that creating new organisations to host services would lead to increased administration costs. PCTs have now been instructed that they will have to decide who will be the preferred organisation to host their provider arm by the end of March 2010, the most likely choices are to move these services into secondary care, social services or mental health trusts. Several options are possible all with pro and cons these include break up, vertically integration or horizontal integration.
4.2 LMC Accounts – The accounts for the year ended 30th September 2009 can be viewed on the LMC website. There are two non levy paying practices in the area Action: Dr Horsburgh to write to practices to invite them to join.
4.5 Practice Manager Training – The PCT and LMC support training and recognise that roles and therefore training needs are changing. Practices which are not currently using their training budget are encouraged to utilise this resource. Action: Mrs. J. Ross and Lisa Morrell to liaise. `
4.6 NHS Appraisal – The web based Appraisal toolkit is experiencing difficulties; the paperwork for appraisees will not reach them quickly due to a predicted DOH bottleneck.
5. CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE BMA
5.1 GPC Newsletter 19 February received. Issues raised include TCS and PMS agreement reviews.
5.2 Get Ahead: The Essential GP Trainee Skills Day, Friday 16 April 2010, BMA House, London. This conference should be of interest to those preparing for life as a GP, but particularly for GP Trainees, Foundation Trainees and those who have recently completed their GP training.
GP Trainees Subcommittee E-Bulletin for February received, issues raised include extended training. See LMC website.
5.3 Mid-Staffs inquiry – lessons must be learnt says BMA; Dr Hamish Meldrum emphasised that the BMA will support doctors if they need to voice concerns on behalf of their patients.
5.4 Out of hours cover. The BMA believes that standards of out-of-hours care could be improved if: Primary Care Organisations (PCOs) involved local GPs in the commissioning of out-of-hours care, so that high-quality, timely and cost-effective services can be developed that are sensitive to local circumstances. Appropriate monitoring of PCOs to ensure that quality standards are maintained and out-of-hours services improved is applied.
Dr Singh Sahni declared an interest, in his capacity as Medical Adviser to Primecare, any issues concerning this company’s care can be sent in writing to Dr Singh Sahni.
5.5 BT Repairs – Priority repair services that were previously available to GP practices will terminate from 1 April 2010.
5.6 Negotiating News – Three issues have been received; topics raised include NHS Appraisal Toolkit. Vault smears were noted to be the responsibility of the gynaecologist who performed the hysterectomy. Summary Care Records were also discussed. See website.
5.7 Retiring single-handed GPs – Under GMS a retiring single handed doctor must give three months notice of termination of the contract to the PCT. Under PMS the notice period required is highly ambiguous. See LMC website.
Retiring doctors are not responsible for securing the succession of the practice but, if the list is dispersed, TUPE does not come into play and the retiring GP will have to make the staff redundant as part of the winding up of the business. In most cases, if the list is moved to another contractor the new practice will take on the staff and will be responsible for any redundancy.
6. CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE GPC WEST MIDLANDS
6.1 Black Country LMC Meeting October 2009 minutes received issues raised include contraceptive services, roles & responsibilities of LMC members and EAPC practices.
6.2 General Practitioners Committee West Midlands National Negotiators Meeting to be held 25 March. Action: Dr Horsburgh to attend.
6.3 Wolverhampton Division of BMA members inaugural evening dinner to be held on Thursday 11 March 2010 at Patshull Park Hotel, Pattingham, Shropshire, WV6 7HR. Guest speaker Professor Averil Mansfield (BMA President of UK).
7. CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE PCT & HOSPITAL TRUSTS
7.1 Pharmacy applications: An application for a pharmacy minor relocation by Dudley Wood Pharmacy from 2 Bush Road, Dudley Wood DY2 0BH to 10 Quarry Road, Dudley Wood, Dudley DY2 0EF has been received.
South Staffordshire PCT has received an application for inclusion in a Pharmaceutical List for a wholly internet or mail order Pharmacy (exempt application) from Mr James Blount at Unit 1, Chenavare Mews, Kinver, Staffs, DY7 6HF.
7.2 Sick notes – From April 2010 the current Med 3 and Med 5 medical statements are being replaced with the new Statement of Fitness for Work. The key changes include the introduction of a new option – “May be fit for work taking account of the following advice”. You will no longer be asked to issue statements stating someone is fit for work. There is a reduction in the maximum duration of statement during the first 6 months of illness to 3 months. The guidance is available at www.dwp.gov.uk/fitnote.
7.3 Infection Control Tool- Essential steps to safe, clean care, reducing healthcare-associated infections in primary care. See website for details.
7.4 GP and Practice Team Bulletin- Issues raised include the release of a guide to help GPs interpret the new growth charts for children which were published May 2009.
7.5 Choose and Book – all patients should be referred on the day of “decision to refer”. Referral letters must be uploaded adhering to the guidelines set out by the Department of Health i.e. 1 day for 2WW, 1 day for Urgent and 3 days for Routine; otherwise targets will be missed.
8. MISCELLANEOUS
8.1. The Department of Health supported by the Alzheimer’s Society is launching a National Dementia Awareness Campaign in March. In February 2009 the DoH published the National Dementia Strategy for England: a five year plan to transform the quality of life for people with dementia and their carers. The awareness campaign forms part of the Department’s commitment to deliver the Strategy by improving public understanding about dementia.
8.2 Walsall LMC Newsletter received.
8.3 King’s Fund workshop How can clinicians improve services for patients in a cold financial climate? Booking will be handled on a first –come, first served basis and must be received by Friday 22 April 2010.
9. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
9.1 MTRAC is to be revised, a system of reviewing new drugs which delivers a timely, concise review of a new drug in a format which could be used as part of a formulary and for prompt information to circulate to GPs is proposed.
9.2 The GP Earnings and Expenses Enquiry 2007/08 and Investment in General Practice 2003/04 to 2008/09: information for LMCs is available on the BMA website.
9.3 GP Practice are unable to use the NHS jobs website to advertise for clinical staff without registering as a sub-organisation with the PCT, the LMC are supportive of this process.
NEXT MEETING: NEXT MEETING: Friday 16th April 2010, 12:45pm at Atlantic House, Dudley Rd, Lye, DY9 8EL.
Lunch will be provided.
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