General Practice During The Pandemic: The Role of the General Practitioner and Practice Team
Our new document, General Practice During The Pandemic: The Role of the General Practitioner and Practice Team, looks at how practice teams are adapting to the Covid-19 challenge and some of the future implications of this period of rapid change. It also contains guidance on a number of areas, including:
Emergency/urgent care
- Diagnosis and management of patients presenting with acute illness.
- Risk assessing and triaging these presentations into those suitable for advice only, prescription, further investigation, referral for specialist advice or acute hospital referral.
- Referring cases of suspected cancer to specialist services in accordance with revised 2 week wait pathways.
Long-term conditions (LTCs)
- Diagnosis and management of many LTCs in general practice.
- Referral for secondary care for the diagnosis and/or initial management with referral back to GP for the long-term management.
- Referral to secondary care for the diagnosis and/or initial management and then ongoing joint management of the patient.
- Referral to secondary care for the diagnosis and ongoing management of patients.
Prevention and health promotion
- This includes vaccinations, immunisations, lifestyle modification (diet, exercise, smoking and alcohol).
End of life care
- Increasing numbers of patients with end stage disease or malignancy or choosing to die in the community with the GP being part of the multi-disciplinary team supporting them and their families through this event.
Patient and local community advocacy
- Identifying and referring vulnerable individuals, especially where there may be a safeguarding concern.
- Understanding the local communities being served.
- Providing holistic care, for example assistance with benefits.
- Linking with voluntary organisations.
- Providing patient support forums within the practice.
- Contribute to community cohesion.
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Our recent letters to hospital trusts asking them to issue fit notes to patients rather than referring them back to GPs has had a positive response from Imperial College Healthcare...Londonwide LMCs motions at England LMC Representative Conference (17 Nov 2017)
The first Conference of England LMCs took place on 10 November in London. The full list of motions, including which parts were carried can be downloaded here. A summary...Chairs and vice chairs look at cross-LMC working (25 Oct 2017)
Last week’s meeting of Londonwide LMCs’ leaders looked at cross-LMC working, to make sure we are ready to represent members as the NHS brings in new organisations as part of...Participant practices wanted for unique stress and workload study (25 Oct 2017)
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Section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (the Act) places a duty on certain bodies (“specified authorities” listed in Schedule 6 to the Act), in the exercise of...Extended hours DES update (23 Oct 2017)
The 2017/18 changes to the GP contract included the condition that meant practices who regularly close for a half day, on a weekly basis, will not ordinarily qualify to deliver...Guidance
We provide expert guidance for practices in our guidance section, as well as an archive of other materials you may find useful.
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