Coventry & Warwickshire COVID-19 Portal

 

Primary Care Coronavirus briefing – Coventry and Warwickshire – 6 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

1. Easter

As confirmed in the GP Preparedness Letter of 27th March changes to the GP contract mean that Good Friday and Easter Monday have now been identified as normal working days for GP practices and practices should put in place the relevant arrangements for this. The usual Bank Holiday Out of Hours (OOHrs) service will therefore be stood down with OOHrs normal weekend provision remaining in place. We are awaiting further detail on the GMS contract change for this and will update once we have received.  

Please note that the hot hubs will be open on these days.

The Coventry and Warwickshire North Prescribing POD will be open on Good Friday and Easter Bank Holiday Monday, operating 09:00 until 15:00. Community pharmacies will also be open between 2pm – 5pm.

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

• C0133 COVID-19 Primary Care SOP GP practice_5 April.pdf (item 2)

• C0178 Letter to GPs on clinically highest risk-patients_ 3 April.pdf (item 3)

• 2020325_Easy-Read_At-Risk-Patient-Letter-1.pdf, COVID19_UKMCS_BCS_statement_25.03.2020 (1).pdf’ at-risk-patient-letter-march-2020.pdf (item 4)

• Covid 19 GP letter_02.04.2020.pdf (item 11)

• uhcw poster on covid.pdf (item 7)

• 20200402 CQC Interim Guidance on DBS for Covid 19.pdf (item 14)

 

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.

 

Local picture (as of 5 April)

There are 580 cases now confirmed in Coventry and Warwickshire 

147 of these are currently admitted

551 beds still available

31 ITU beds still available

We are also working on reporting and modelling hot hub activity and capacity and this will be provided when available.

LATEST LOCAL UPDATE

2. Guidance and standard operating procedures: General practice in the context of coronavirus (COVID-19)

Version 2 of the SOP is now available and attached to this email. (Attachment: C0133 COVID-19 Primary Care SOP GP practice_5 April.pdf)

3. GP information on Caring for people at highest clinical risk during Covd-19 

The attached letter about the Government’s shielding policy and implications for General Practice from Dr Jenny Harries and Dr Nikki Kanani.  

We know that there have been mixed messages about this patient group. To clarify the process of identification of patients and next steps, we have developed a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) aimed specifically for a GP and hospital clinician audience, https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/03/20200403-Clinician-FAQs-v_FINAL.pdf  

We have also developed a separate set of FAQs for patients. These have been updated to explain that not everybody in this group will have received a letter yet.

If you have a question that has not been answered in this document, please contact england.covid-highestrisk@nhs.net

(Attachment: C0178 Letter to GPs on clinically highest risk-patients_ 3 April.pdf)

4. Shielding pregnant women with significant cardiac disease

On 21 March, the Chief Nursing Officer and National Medical Director wrote to all Medical and Nursing Directors in England, asking for help shielding patients most at risk of morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. The letter set out six population groups that are by expert consensus considered extremely vulnerable, and asks that they are sent the attached message, advising them to be particularly stringent in self-isolating for 12 weeks.

Pregnant women with significant heart disease (congenital and acquired) are an extremely vulnerable group. Please ensure that for every woman meeting these criteria in your care, the following three actions are taken:

1. The woman is contacted directly with the letter;

2. The woman’s GP is notified of this action; and

3. The trust’s COVID-19 lead is notified of this action and the woman (COVID leads are maintaining a database of contacted patients for information of NHSE Incident Control).

Some of these women are at significant risk irrespective of COVID-19 and it will be absolutely necessary for them to continue attending appointments to receive care. In such cases where virtual appointments will not suffice please consider how to best maintain the patient’s shielding during their appointment. 

It will be for you to determine which pregnant women meet the significant heart disease criteria and should receive this letter. In making these decisions, you may want to refer to the attached statement produced by the UK Maternal Cardiology Society – a subcommittee of the British Cardiovascular Society. 

(Attachments: 2020325_Easy-Read_At-Risk-Patient-Letter-1.pdf, COVID19_UKMCS_BCS_statement_25.03.2020 (1).pdf’ at-risk-patient-letter-march-2020.pdf)

5. Royal College of GPs COVID-19 update

A weekly update on COVID-19 and what the College is doing to support our members and the profession through the current crisis. This is available: https://rcgp-news.com/49LX-T5OH-6D5KEHFWD7/cr.aspx 

6. Information on how to send text messages to patients and do remote consults using accurx

This can be accessed via the following links:

For EMIS: https://www.accurx.com/get-chain

For Vision: https://fleming.accurx.com/login

7. COVID-19 – QUICK GLANCE GUIDE For treatment of adult non-ITU patients at UHCW

A summary of how UHCW are managing COVID for your information. (Attachment: uhcw poster on covid.pdf)

8. SMS to Vulnerable People 

Please note that the following SMS message was sent out by the government on Friday to patients identified as vulnerable. Previous messages have generated queries as to whether they are genuine, which is why details are being shared in advance. It will be sent via gov.notify from alphanumeric UK_Gov and will only include a gov.uk URL.

‘As someone who is at high risk of severe illness if you catch Coronavirus, please remain at home for a minimum of 12 weeks unless a healthcare professional suggests otherwise. Support is available for you if you need it. Please complete this short form to tell us whether you need this support or not: www.gov.uk/coronavirus-extremely-vulnerable . If you cannot sign up on the website, you can call us on 0800 028 8327. Your response will help us to support those who need it most. If you have already been in touch there is no need to do so again.’

9. COVID-19: admission and care of people in care homes webinar

this interactive webinar to support the implementation of the Admission and care of residents during COVID-19 incident in a care home guidance. The webinar will consist of an overview of the guidance through short presentations, followed by opportunities for Q&A. Book on here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/covid-19-admission-and-care-of-people-in-care-homes-guidance-webinar-tickets-101622004150 (tickets are currently available for 8 April at 3pm to 4.30pm.

10. An update on the CASTLE guidance for end of life care during this Covid-19 pandemic

This meeting will be presented via Zoom, details (Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/816041162 Meeting ID: 816 041 162) on Wednesday 8 April from 13.00 – 14.00. If you have any queries, please contact: gpteachingadmin@uhcw.nhs.uk. 

LATEST UPDATES FOR EACH PLACE

UPDATES FOR Coventry and Rugby – 6 April 2020 

11. InHealth Services - COVID 19

Please see attached a letter from Vicky Maskill, Director of MSK & Pain regarding the InHealth approach to the current COVID-19 situation. (attachment: Covid 19 GP letter_02.04.2020.pdf)

12. Death Certification & Cremation Forms page updated on the 31st March

The latest guidance for GPs regarding certifying a death in the current situation has been added to GP Gateway: 

https://www.coventryrugbygpgateway.nhs.uk/pages/death-certification-cremation-forms/ 

UPDATES FOR South Warwickshire – 6 April 2020 

No updates in this edition

UPDATES FOR Warwickshire North – 6 April 2020

No updates in this edition

LATEST NATIONAL PICTURE 

 

• As of 9am on 5 April 2020, 195,524 people have been tested in the UK and 47,806 were confirmed as positive. As of 5pm on 4 April 2020, of those hospitalised in the UK, 4,934 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 most up to date government advice on coronavirus is available online.

• The Health Secretary’s update on coronavirus (COVID-19) delivered via a press conference on 5 April 2020, detailing the government’s response to coronavirus. The briefing is available to view online.

• The press conference slides and datasets used by Dr Jenny Harries in the daily coronavirus press conference on 5 April 2020 can be accessed online.

COMMUNICATIONS FROM NHS ENGLAND

13. NHS England Primary Care Bulletin – new edition – 3 April

COVID-19: latest guidance for general practice is issued in the NHS England Primary Care Bulletin (3 April) and contains an update on the Government’s shielding policy and implications for general practice, updated guidance published on personal protective equipment and an urgent request for GPs to support NHS 111. 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/

 

14. CQC Interim guidance on DBS and other recruitment checks 

The Care Quality Commission has issued interim guidance (attached) in response to temporary changes being made by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to DBS applications and processes. It will be in operation for the period the Coronavirus Act 2020 remains in force, and will be reviewed on a regular basis.

The key points included in the guidance outline that providers are now being offered a fast, free Barred List DBS check for emergency roles being recruited in response to a provider risk assessment. Enhanced DBS check information will still be processed, but will be issued afterwards. 

Providers are required to take reasonable steps to ensure new staff are recruited in line with new DBS guidance and that new and existing staff continue to be adequately supported and sufficiently supervised so that people are safe. For more information please see the attached guidance. (Attachment: 20200402 CQC Interim Guidance on DBS for Covid 19.pdf)

15. Media enquiries 

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

Please note the updated information on Easter opening hours.

Review the updated SOP for Primary Care in relation to coronavirus.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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/