Avon LMCs Newsletter on 03-04-24

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The ALMC Newsletter

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

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– LATEST NEWS –

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Avon LMC is looking to recruit an administrator to join the team. Keep an eye out for the advertisement. If you have any queries, please feel free to contact Rebecca at rebecca@almc.co.uk.

The BMA GP referendum results have been published with an overwhelming 99.2% of GPs in England voting “No” to the question of accepting the 2024/25 GP Contract. 

A huge thank you to all those GPs who voted, despite the challenges of registering with the voting site. Thankfully, this is a dress rehearsal to iron out these voting issues prior to any future indicative or formal ballots of the profession. 

As previously mentioned, if you aren’t a BMA Member your voice can’t be heard, so join up today.

We would like to inform you of an update to the training schedule. Additional dates have been added for June. If you haven’t already booked your training session, you can do so now by clicking on the attached link.

The training sessions available in June are as follows:

• Doppler & Compression
• Wound Masterclass
• Travel Health Introduction (2-day)

Book Training – Calendar

Question: We are struggling with the demands of physical health monitoring for eating disorders – please can this be raised with STEPS?

Answer: This is a challenge for all GPs nationwide, the workload is high for this patient group, and the mortality risks are significant. 

Physical monitoring for eating disorders falls into a commissioning vacuum locally. The service specification for STEPS does not include this monitoring, and it is clearly not part of the GP core contract. This means that if a GP practice didn’t do this monitoring, it is unlikely to be done. This leaves GPs facing the moral injury of having high-risk patients who are not being monitored. 

It is for this reason that the LMC has been in regular contact with the Mental Health Lead for the ICB about this commissioning gap, because the current situation is unsafe for patients and creating huge workloads in general practice. The LMC is simultaneously pushing for AWP to be included in the community phlebotomy LES, as this also represents a huge unfunded workload. 

As part of the new Avon LMC, we are updating our phone number, which will go live in two weeks. We will share this number once it is active.

Avon LMC would like to wish colleagues the warmest Eid Mubarak which is predicted to fall on either the 9th or 10th April next week. 

• Thursday 28 March: General practice bulletin (mailchi.mp)
• Tuesday 2 April: General practice bulletin (mailchi.mp)

As many of the Avon LMC Board are on leave next week for the school holidays, there will be no newsletter next week and the next one will land in your inbox on 17^th April.
 
Practice Managers – please share this newsletter with all your staff and if you would like to receive one directly, just email info@almc.co.uk.

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– LATEST TRAINING AND EVENTS –

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Organised by BNSSG Training Hub, this FREE, interactive half-day session will feature inspirational local primary care clinicians sharing their portfolio career experiences and providing advice on building your own portfolio career! It will include information on portfolio careers in teaching, research, leadership, management, working in special settings and clinical special interests. The event will end with a free networking lunch.

Date:               Wednesday 3^rd July 2024
Time:               08:45-14:00
Venue:             BAWA, 589 Southmead Road, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7RG
Audience:       All primary care clinicians working in BNSSG
 

To register your interest in joining, please complete the sign-up form here:  https://forms.office.com/e/9HZuJ9m3r9

If you have any questions about this event, please get in touch.

Email: sarah.ballisat@nhs.net

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