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In this bulletin:
- COVID-19 Vaccination Programme
- Management of the Long-term Effects of COVID-19
- Severe Mental Illness (SMI) Health Checks
- Remote Pulse Oximetry Services
- Antimicrobial Stewardship in Primary Care Webinar
COVID-19 Vaccination Programme
Following on from our last COVID-19 vaccine update and mythbuster, NHS England are reviewing all of the designated vaccine site offers and will publish the service specification shortly, hopefully early next week. Alongside the specification, the following documents will also be published:
- Clinical guidance
- Template COVID-19 Vaccination Collaboration Agreement
- To support Practices to put in place appropriate arrangements under the Enhanced Service for premises, data sharing, financial arrangements, subcontracting arrangements (as required), etc.
- Further operational guidance
- Including a standard operating procedure (SOP) with details on ordering vaccinations, reporting arrangements and payment processes, etc.
- Staff sharing agreement/template honorary contract for additional staff employed
- Frequently asked questions
Further information, key documents, a discussion forum, FAQs, webinars and further resources for the COVID-19 vaccination programme are available on the FutureNHS Collaboration Platform.
Management of the Long-term Effects of COVID-19
We are learning more about the whole range of short and long-term health effects associated with COVID-19, and as the pandemic continues, we are discovering that there are many ways the infection can affect someone’s health. The RCGP has produced some top tips for caring for Patients with long term effects of COVID-19.
Severe Mental Illness (SMI) Health Checks
NHS England is committed to leading work to reduce the premature mortality among people living with severe mental illness (SMI). They are at higher risk of poor physical health such as obesity, asthma, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
As part of the revised Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) requirements for 2020/21, Practices need to identify the most clinically vulnerable Patients for proactive review (including those with an SMI) and ensure that they are offered the following:
- A flu vaccination, for those who are eligible
- An annual health check, which could include completing some elements of the check remotely, where possible
- A care plan review where appropriate
Practices should improve access to and the quality of physical health checks and ensure that appropriate follow-up care is given. A Practical Toolkit is available to improve the physical health of Patients with serious mental illness.
Remote Pulse Oximetry Services
NHS England is recommending that following COVID-19 diagnosis, Patients who are symptomatic, and either 65 or of highest risk (i.e. those on the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable list) are supplied with an NHS pulse oximeter to self-monitor. The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) standard operating procedure: COVID Oximetry @home was published last week. Arrangements will vary depending on how the pathway is delivered, for example, through individual Primary Care Networks (PCN) or a single Community Health Service, and Practices should liaise with their PCN to ensure they understand how Patients will receive an oximeter and how and where it will be returned to.
Antimicrobial Stewardship in Primary Care Webinar
Appropriate prescribing of antibiotics will help reduce the spread of the antibacterial resistance that can be a serious threat to Patients who have infections that do not respond to antimicrobial drugs. NICE have produced guidelines which cover the effective use of antimicrobials (including antibiotics) in children, young people and adults and includes a useful interactive flowchart. An Antimicrobial Stewardship in Primary Care webinar will take place at 1pm – 2pm on Monday 23 November.