Avon LMCs Newsletter on 10-06-26

---

The ALMC Newsletter

Welcome to our weekly newsletter, sharing the latest news and topics of interest for practices.

---

– LATEST NEWS –

---

The Chair is enjoying a well-deserved break, so you are stuck with my musings once again.

Like many of you, our household has been navigating the double whammy GCSEs and A Levels this year, and I’m not sure a month has ever felt so long. Practices will no doubt have seen the annual flurry of requests for ‘GANFYDs (Get A Note From Your Doctor) to explain exam-related absences. As ever, it is worth remembering that providing these letters is neither a contractual requirement, nor in most cases, necessary, as highlighted but the helpful guidance shared from LLR LMC.

Some of you joined our membership consultation last week, where we sought a mandate to invite expressions of interest for Bristol and North Somerset Board Directors. No previous LMC experience is needed, and I would encourage any GP who wants to shape the future of local general practice to consider applying.

Finally, a consultation last week served as a timely reminder of the unique place GPs occupy within the NHS. As healthcare becomes ever more specialised and, at times, increasingly fragmented, it is the GP practice that continues to provide continuity, context and relationships built over years rather than episodes of care. We are often the only part of the system that sees the whole person, not just the condition.

In a service under constant pressure, it is easy to lose sight of that privilege. Yet it remains one of the defining strengths of general practice and one well worth protecting.

“Trust is built in drops and lost in buckets.” — Kevin Plank

Dr Shaba Nabi
Medical Director: Avon LMC

Query type	Email contact
General support and queries	info@almc.co.uk
Job advertising	info@almc.co.uk
Clinical/Contractual queries	directors@almc.co.uk
Training	ALMCLearningHub@almc.co.uk
DBS	dbs@almc.co.uk

Avon LMC is seeking Expressions of Interest from Local GPs to serve as elected Board Directors representing Bristol and North Somerset.

This is an opportunity to help shape the future of General Practice across BNSSG, represent the views of local GPs, and contribute to the strategic leadership and governance of Avon LMC.

Key Information

• Term of office: 3 years (maximum two consecutive terms)
• Appointment basis: Contract for Services
• Remuneration: Attendance-based payment for meetings (invoiced)
• Time commitment:
  • One monthly Governance Board meeting (approximately 3 hours) – Second Tuesday afternoon per month
  • Up to five Committee meetings per year (approximately 2 hours each) – Monday evenings

Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must:

• Be a GP working within the Avon LMC area
• Be on the NHS Performers List
• Be actively delivering primary medical services
• Represent the constituency of their main place of work

Detailed guidance can be found here 

Applicants should be committed to good governance, uphold the Nolan Principles of Public Life, manage conflicts of interest appropriately, and act in the interests of the wider GP membership.

To apply, please submit a statement of interest (maximum 200 words) outlining why you wish to be elected, together with relevant experience and confirmation of constituency eligibility.

Closing date for Expressions of Interest: Thursday 19 June 2026. For further information or to submit an Expression of Interest, please contact info@almc.co.uk, FAO the Returning Officer

 Question: Some patients are started on Darbepoetin injections by the renal team and directed to practice nurses to teach the patient how to administer. What is the LMC view on this?

Answer: Darbepoetin alfa injections are red on the formulary which means the prescribing and monitoring are the responsibility of the specialist. Safe prescribing involves counselling regarding administration, and this should not fall on general practice. 

I would encourage all nurses to use the LMC prescribing template letter (self-populated within EMIS) to pushback on this work. There is a specific bullet point on declining red drug involvement

We are in the process of winding down Referral Support Services (RSS), yet the Single Point of Access (SPOA) is not fully operational, which is inadvertently increasing workload for GP practices.

Practices have alerted us to the fact that they must select from a long list of sub-specialities, often without the clinical expertise required to make that judgment.

Avon LMC has escalated this and has been assured that although a sub-speciality can be selected, there is also the option to select ‘not otherwise specified’, if a referrer is unsure of a disposal

We are grateful to the national LMC Support Network who have developed guidance on Right to Choose and Shared Care. This can be found here 

At this year’s LMC UK conference, I had the opportunity to propose a motion on GP training and the need for it to evolve alongside the rapidly changing role of a GP. As a GP trainee, it was exciting to contribute to a discussion that could help shape the future of the profession. Had I fully appreciated that my speech would be livestreamed and potentially scrutinised by the press, I might have been a little less eager to volunteer! Nevertheless, it was a unique experience that challenged me, developed my presentation skills, and gave me a greater appreciation of how policy is shaped. I am extremely grateful to Avon LMC for supporting me and making the opportunity possible.

As GP trainees, we are immersed in patient care but are often less exposed to the politics and decision-making that influence the healthcare system around us. One of the most valuable aspects of the conference was hearing a wide range of perspectives and engaging in debates that frequently challenged my initial views. I often found myself reconsidering my position after listening to the debate, particularly during some of the more controversial motions.

In a climate where general practice often attracts criticism, it can sometimes be difficult not to question my career choice. However, after three days of conference, listening to passionate colleagues who are committed to improving the system, I came away feeling optimistic. Seeing so many people working tirelessly to advocate for both patients and the profession gave me faith that the future of general practice can be a positive one

This can be found here.
 
The community pharmacy children’s flu pilot has been extended into 2026/27 with expansion of the cohorts pharmacy is able to vaccinate.
 
As well as all 2 and 3 year olds, pharmacies will also be able to vaccinate children in a clinical risk group between 2 and 17 years of age from 1 October. From 1 December, pharmacies will be able to offer vaccinations to school aged children who miss the opportunity to be vaccinated in school as a catch up service.
 
Additionally, people experiencing homelessness (PEH) have been added to clinical at-risk groups eligible for seasonal flu vaccination. PEH will also be added to the eligible at-risk groups for pneumococcal vaccination. Further guidance about implementation of this will be issued

 This anonymised questionnaire has been created in collaboration with AWP. Its purpose is to better understand GP experience of AWP services, with a particular focus on identifying potential commissioning gaps that may be impacting service delivery and user satisfaction. This survey aims to gather constructive insights that can help highlight areas where commissioning arrangements may not fully align with current needs. 

Data will be used solely for the purpose of identifying themes and informing service improvement and will be handled in accordance with relevant data protection requirements.
GP Experience of Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP) Services – Fill in form

• This can be found here.

Please note that our training webpage will undergo scheduled maintenance every Friday from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM. During this period, the system may be temporarily unavailable, and enrolment forms submitted may not be received or processed. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and sincerely appreciate your understanding and cooperation

The BNSSG Training Hub has launched a new NWRS Toolkit to support practices and PCNs with workforce reporting on the National Workforce Reporting Service (NWRS).

The toolkit was built with input from BNSSG NWRS users, and brings together clear, practical guidance into a single, accessible place. With NWRS data underpinning national statistics, funding decisions and future workforce planning, having robust and reliable records is more important that ever, making the toolkit a valuable, practical resource for practices and PCNs to explore.  

For more information please contact Louise Carthy, Project Lead, at L.Carthy@nhs.net.

The Training Hub, Avon LMC, One Care and IGPM are inviting all BNSSG general practice and PCN management colleagues to our next quarterly pan-BNSSG meeting, as part of our dedicated management development and support programme.  
This invitation extends to Practice Managers, PCN Managers, Deputy/Assistant Managers, and anyone aspiring to work in practice or PCN management.  
 
Date: Thursday 2^nd July 2026 
Time: 14:00 – 15:30 
Venue: MS Teams webinar 
 
Click here to register, or copy this

URL: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/59b9d776-0f1a-4856-9994-a78a0a8163c4@37c354b2-85b0-47f5-b222-07b48d774ee3 
 
For further information, please contact Louise Carthy, Project Lead, at L.Carthy@nhs.net.  

 
Thursday 4 June General practice bulletin

Tuesday 9 June General practice bulletin

The Management Training Package offer from ALMC Learning Hub has added dates for the Data Protection and Strategic Management courses. More details can be found here
 
Avon LMC Programme Registration – Fill in form
 
Bookings for all courses must be made by the Practice Manager, Nurse Manager, or authorised person within the practice. This is due to the cancellation/non-attendance charge the practice is liable for.
 
The training is free for General Practice staff who are not GPs. Should GPs wish to attend any PST-funded training, there is a charge of £75 per attendance, which must be settled before the course date.
 
Please note that bespoke requests may incur a charge, as the opportunity to attend training should be made available to all.
 
We have also been asked to explore further training options and would like to gauge interest in potential future course delivery. Please use the link below to express interest in any courses/modules you wish to take and this can be completed by anyone who is interest in the course options. Details of the modules can be found here
 
Avon LMC Programme – Expression of Interest – Fill in form

---

– LATEST TRAINING AND EVENTS –

---

---

---