Coventry & Warwickshire COVID-19 Portal

 

Primary Care Coronavirus briefing – Coventry and Warwickshire – 29 April 2020 

 

**Please find below the latest daily primary care coronavirus briefing.**

 

Information provided by NHS Coventry and Rugby CCG, NHS South Warwickshire CCG and NHS Warwickshire North CCG in line with Public Health England guidance.

 

This information may change rapidly as the situation develops. For the latest information for primary care, visit: https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/primary-care

Today’s topics – use the links to jump to each section

 

**Latest local picture**

**Local updates** 

**Latest updates for each PLACE (Coventry and Rugby, South Warwickshire, Warwickshire North)**

 

Latest national picture

Communications from NHS England

Actions for Primary Care

TODAY’S ATTACHMENTS 

• Early May Bank Holiday 2020 Reimbursement Sheet.xlsx (item 1)

• Operation Shield Service Information for recipients FINAL 0420.pdf (item 6)

• Useful info to support you in self-isolation and social distancing.docx (item 6)

• NEWS RELEASE seek help for cancer symptoms.docx (item 4)

• SPOTLIGHT ON TRAINING 1-5-2020.docx (item 3)

 

LATEST LOCAL PICTURE

Please remember: we are issuing daily (Monday to Friday) communications via: warnoccg.covid19primarycarecommunications@nhs.net. We would also ask that if you have questions or concerns relating to the current situation around coronavirus and COVID-19 you use the same address: warnoccg.covid19primarycarecommunications@nhs.net. Please keep us updated with any issues that you may be having so we can try to address them.

Coventry and Warwickshire COVID position up to 29.04.2020

• 1,726 cases now confirmed in Coventry and Warwickshire (+43 / +2.6% from yesterday)

• 173 of these are currently admitted (-4 / -2.3% from yesterday)

• 722 beds still available (-82 / -10.2% from yesterday)

• 12 ITU beds occupied by Covid patients (-5 / -29.4% from yesterday)

• 364 reported deaths in a hospital setting (+11 / +3.1% from yesterday)

Care Home current position as at 29.04.2020

Note: this is a current, not cumulative position. Numbers may go up or down

• 113 confirmed cases (+0 / +0.0% from yesterday)

o Confirmed care home cases broken down by area (not CCG):

o Coventry: 48

o South Warwickshire: 22

o North Warwickshire & Rugby: 43

 

LATEST LOCAL UPDATE

1. May Day Bank Holiday

In the briefing yesterday the reimbursement form was not attached. Please note that reimbursement for practices will be available as per the national rates paid for the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, and the attached claim form is to be completed. (Attachment: Early May Bank Holiday 2020 Reimbursement Sheet.xlsx)

2. Ramadan: Risk stratification by body condition/disease

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA) has undertaken a series of rapid evidence reviews. The risk stratification table, produced by them summarises the risks/recommendations of fasting in patients during Ramadan. The table is especially useful if primary care professionals are asked about fasting during the pandemic.

3. Spotlight on (virtual) training

Virtual safeguarding is being developed as a result of need whilst we have COVID restrictions. Whilst ideally 50% training should be face to face, professionals should feel free to access e learning to support safeguarding knowledge and practice at the current time. Links to relevant courses are included in the attachment. (Attachment: SPOTLIGHT ON TRAINING 1-5-2020.docx)

4. Press release: NHS warning to seek help for cancer symptoms, as half of public report concerns with getting checked (issued today)

England’s top cancer doctor has urged people not to hesitate to get checked as new research revealed that nearly half of the public have concerns about seeking help during the coronavirus pandemic. 

One in 10 people would not contact their GP even if they had a lump or a new mole which did not go away after a week, the survey found. The full press release is attached (attachment: NEWS RELEASE seek help for cancer symptoms.docx).

5. BMA PPE helpline – please note this is an advice line not an ordering helpline

The BMA has established an emergency PPE (personal protective equipment) advice line that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The number is 0300 123 1233. The dedicated hotline provides advice to doctors with concerns about PPE went live of the 24 April, as part of a BMA support initiative. Further information is on the BMA website.

LATEST UPDATES FOR EACH PLACE

UPDATES FOR Coventry and Rugby – 29 April 2020 

6. Information around the Coventry Hub for coordination of support to people on the shielded list

There are approximately 4,800 people on the current shielding list for Coventry. Anyone on the shielded list who cannot access support from their local networks or online sources can register for additional support with food, medicines or social contact by signing up at the national web portal https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-extremely-vulnerable. 

The Coventry Operation Shield Hub is based at the Alan Higgs Centre with support coordinated by CV Life, our local leisure provider. Hub staff are in the process of contacting people on the list to identify those that need support and assist them signing up to the national platform where relevant. Local information on sign ups to the platform is shared with the Hub by the national team on a daily basis. In addition the letters attached have been sent out to those on the shielded list as a prompt to encourage sign ups and highlight support available. Over 800 people in Coventry have already flagged themselves through the national portal as requiring our support and the Hub team are working hard to deliver support as required. 

(Attachments: Operation Shield Service Information for recipients FINAL 0420.pdf, Useful info to support you in self-isolation and social distancing.docx).

UPDATES FOR South Warwickshire – 29 April 2020 

No updates this issue.

UPDATES FOR Warwickshire North – 29 April 2020 

No updates this issue.

LATEST NATIONAL PICTURE 

 

• As of 9am on 28 April 2020, 763,387 people have been tested in the UK and 161,145 were confirmed as positive. As of 5pm on 27 April 2020, of those hospitalised in the UK, 21,678 have died. (Please note: the figures for test results and for deaths are compiled from different sources. This is why the figures for deaths are reported from an earlier point in time than the figures for test results.)  

• The latest government advice on coronavirus is available online.

• The full Coronavirus press conference 28 April 2020 delivered by Health Secretary Matt Hancock on the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic can be viewed on YouTube. In the briefing he announced that they would be reporting on deaths in hospitals, care homes and in the community as well. He confirmed there would be no relaxation of the rules around social distancing until the five tests have been met. And in addition, he unveiled an expansion to the current testing programme.

• The press conference slides and datasets used by Professor Angela McLean, Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser on 28 April are available to read. 

COMMUNICATIONS FROM NHS ENGLAND

 

7. NHS England Primary Care Bulletin – new edition – 29 April

COVID-19: latest guidance for general practice is issued in the NHS England Primary Care Bulletin (29 April) and includes the letter published today outlining the second phase of NHS response to COVID-19 including key points for primary care and an update on the COVID-19 Clinical Assessment Service (CCAS). This regular COVID-19 Primary Care Bulletin is from Dr Nikki Kanani and Ed Waller and you are encouraged to sign up here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/email-bulletins/general-practice-bulletin/.

8. Weekly Webinar with Professor Keith Willett – joining instructions

Please see below for joining instructions for this week's webinar on the NHS response to the coronavirus hosted by Professor Keith Willett. 

This weeks’ briefing will take place at 11:00 – 12:00 on Thursday 30 April.

For those unable to join at this time, a recording of the webinar will be available for a short period which you can access using the same joining link provided below.

Please note there is no option to dial in via phone line. Details on how to join the webinar using the Microsoft Teams App on a mobile device is included below. 

Joining the webinar on your computer/laptop: Please click on this link: NHS response to the coronavirus – Thursday 30 April 11:00 – 12:00

You will then be given the choice of watching the webinar using Microsoft Teams (if installed on your device) or using your web browser.

 

Joining by mobile phone or tablet: The webinar will be on Microsoft Teams. There is no option to dial in via phone, however you can join via the Microsoft Teams app on a mobile device.

 

If you are accessing Teams from a mobile phone or tablet, make sure you have the Microsoft Teams app installed, via the App Store or Google Play. You do not have to sign in to the app, just click the link above to go straight into the event.

 

For more information on joining the briefing via Microsoft Teams please refer to this guide: Guidance for external parties joining a meeting

9. Primary Care Webinar

The next primary care webinar is tomorrow, 30 April between 5pm and 6pm with a focus on an extended question and answer session. The link to join, via Microsoft Teams, is here.

 

10. Media enquiries 

Our communications team is here to support you if needed. If you are approached by the media, please forward on to your local communications team: agem.communications@nhs.net. Outside of working hours the communications team can be reached via 01522 537887.   

ACTIONS FOR PRIMARY CARE

Note the date for the Keith Willet’s webinar tomorrow at 11am.

Note the date of the next primary care webinar to your diaries.

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Please note: This is the designated inbox for all Primary Care enquiries for practices across Coventry and Warwickshire, set up to help support practices and provide a single point of contact to send and receive information about the rapidly developing COVID-19 situation. Please be aware that guidance is changing regularly and we are endeavouring to keep you as up to date as possible.

 

Please note: the CCG has made the decision to use every email distribution list at its disposal in order to ensure as many people as possible receive these important updates. If you no longer wish to receive these updates, please reply to this email and we will remove you from the distribution list.

 

The inbox is monitored regularly, and we will respond to you as soon as we can. 

 

In the meantime, the latest guidance for primary care can be found here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/primary-care/