OCCG Weekly Bulletin
Wednesday 1 March 2017
Included in this bulletin:
  • Updated Policy (Lavender)Statement on Optimising Self Care by Appropriate Use of Over-The-Counter Medicines
  • REMINDER: Support to GP Practices for Medical Records Movements
  • Calling all Practice Nurses
  • New Molecular Test for Parasites Coming Soon
  • Additional Exercise Options for Patients Living with and Beyond Cancer
  • FREE Health & Wellbeing Event to Support You in Living with and Beyond Cancer Diagnosis

Information for Practices
Updated Policy (Lavender) Statement on Optimising Self Care by Appropriate Use of Over-The-Counter Medicines:
There has been a long standing policy (Lavender) statement in Oxfordshire saying that medicines which can be bought over the counter (OTC) should be considered low priority for prescribing. While some prescribers adhere to this quite rigidly, others tell us that they find it difficult due to the wording of the policy, leading to variation in practice and prescriptions being written for products which are readily available to buy, often at reasonable prices.
The policy has therefore been revised to provide clarification as well as examples of where products can be bought and the Medicines Optimisation Team is working on some patient leaflets to support this. It is hoped that the main benefit of promoting self-care in this way will be a reduction in unnecessary GP appointments and the more appropriate use of Community Pharmacists.
Please click hereto view the revised policy.
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REMINDER: Support to GP Practices for Medical Records Movements:
NHS England wrote to all practices on 22 February to advise that GP contract negotiations for 17/18 included an additional £2M of recurrent funding to account for additional workload, that practices may incur, as a result of the changes to the movement of medical records. In addition to this, a one-off payment of £250 to each GP practice is being made by PCSE in March 2017. This is being funded and paid centrally by NHS England.
If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact
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Calling All Practice Nurses:
Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group is looking to appoint Practice Nurses to 6 locality posts of 2 days a month, the numbers of hours worked will be flexible to fit in with your existing role. The role is to support the development of practice Nurses locally, encourage more nurses to work in general practice and enhance the integrated working with the wider community workforce such as District Nurses, Community Nurses and Community Psychiatric Nurses.
Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group recognises the unique situation of Practice Nurses and the key part they play in primary health care teams, ensuring good quality care is delivered in Oxfordshire.
Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group is keen to be creative in filling these posts so please contact Sula Wiltshire to discuss the role and how it might be accommodated into your current working practice: – 01865 337255

More details can be found here: quoting Job Reference 482-CCG-2587ED

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New Molecular Test for Parasites Coming Soon:

The Department of Microbiology at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has established a new molecular test for the rapid identification of enteric parasites (Cryptosporidium spp, Giardia intestinalis and Entameoba histolytica), the three most common causes of parasitic diarrhoea.

The assay (BD Max enteric parasite panel) is a molecular test with integrated extraction and PCR. Evaluation of the assay shows that detection of parasites is improved compared to microscopy and it has the advantage of being run at the same time and on the same platform as the assay for bacterial faecal pathogens, significantly reducing turnaround time. We will no longer be offering the Crypto/Giardia ELISA assay. Please click herefor more information.

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Additional Exercise Options for Patients Living with and Beyond Cancer:
Patients living with and beyond cancer are eligible for the up and running ‘GO Active Get Healthy programme’ which is available across Oxfordshire.
A cancer diagnosis has now been added to the eligibility criteria for GP Exercise on Referral programme and the forms, available on the intranet, have been changed accordingly.
The programme is a free programme and runs until the end of September
Please click herefor more information.
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FREE Health & Wellbeing Event to Support You in Living with and Beyond Cancer Diagnosis:
Please can you display the attached posterhere in your waiting rooms and on your websites.
Thank you.
Dr Shelley Hayles – OCCG Planned Care Clinical Lead
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