Tamiflu in nursing and care homes
In January the GPC sought legal advice on Public Health England’s (PHE) instructions to prescribe Tamiflu for the prophylaxis of influenza in nursing and care homes where there have been confirmed cases of influenza.
This advice was highlighted in a letter to PHE:
GMS regulations are clear that this service is not included under essential services that practices are required to provide for their registered patients. "Essential Services" are defined in the GMS regulations with reference to regulations 15(3) (5) (6) and (8). Additional work must be commissioned and funded separately as an *Enhanced Service". Examples of these are the influenza vaccination programme and catch up MMR vaccination campaign.
Although PHE disagreed with this view, we would like to re-iterate the GPC’s advice to practices that this work is not covered by their contracts and that if requested, practices should advise PHE (or whoever else requests this) that unless this service is properly commissioned, they will not be providing it in the event of a flu outbreak. The Chief Medical Officer has been informed that practices have been advised of this. We would also advise LMCs to contact their CCGs to alert them to this gap in provision and invite them to commission a service.
Last updated : 14 Oct 2015Mword 32 - Anger, Action and Support (17 Jan 2017)
17 January...Standing up for Sessional GPs - What your LMC can do for you (19 Dec 2016)
Early notice of LMC event for Sessional GPs Ealing, Harrow, Hammersmith and Fulham areas - please note in your diaries Standing up for Sessional GPs - What your LMC can...NHS Shared Business Services lost records repatriation (14 Dec 2016)
In July it was found that a backlog of clinical correspondence and results stretching back over several years remained in NHS Shared Business Services (SBS) storage areas and had not been processed....December 2016 newsletter (14 Dec 2016)
New Blue Stream Academy induction module launched (13 Dec 2016)
Blue Stream Academy, the Buying Group’s approved supplier for online training, has added a unique and editable induction module to their GP Practice eLearning suite. The new module is...Londonwide LMCs secures new assurance role for GP funding (13 Dec 2016)
Against a backdrop of enforced MPIG reductions and successive unworkable London Offers (see PMS Bulletin 9) we have been actively pushing the London NHS and Mayoral systems to support...Londonwide LMCs’ winter workforce survey (13 Dec 2016)
Our latest workforce survey concluded earlier this week and had another fantastic response from across London’s general practice community. We had nearly 700 responses from across half of all of...Patient online update (13 Dec 2016)
There is an agreed aspiration between the GPC (General Practitioners Committee) of the BMA and the NHS that practices attempt to register 10% of patients for online services by 31...Guest blog - What makes a successful patient participation group (13 Dec 2016)
Derek Spencer, Chair of Gillan House Surgery's patient participation group (PPG), shares how they are successful at raising money and campaigning on the practice’s behalf. About three years ago I...Patient engagement survey 2016 - headline findings and key themes (13 Dec 2016)
Londonwide LMCs’ Patient Engagement Project started in July 2016. The project aims to support London GP practice teams in working collaboratively with their patients to shape high quality services and...Guidance
We provide expert guidance for practices in our guidance section, as well as an archive of other materials you may find useful.
GP Support
Contact our GP Support team if you need help or advice.
The team provide professional and pastoral support to GPs and practice teams on a broad range of issues.