4 April 2024

System updates

Diabetes patients webinars

In the upcoming Diabetes Medicines – Current and Future webinar we will be exploring the latest advancements in treating diabetes. 

Discover the current medications available and get a sneak peek into the future of diabetes treatment. 

Whether you have Type1 or Type2 diabetes, are a healthcare professional, or someone living with diabetes patient, this event is perfect for staying informed about the latest developments in diabetes medications. Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to learn and connect with a true expert and adviser to NICE.

Book your free place

Find out more about the upcoming webinars, organised by the Herts and West Essex Diabetes Support Group, for this year.

Medicines Optimisation newsletter

See below an update from the Medicines Optimisation team regarding care home good practice guidance medicines reconciliation and transfer of care from Risha Kohli, Pharmaceutical Advisor for Social Care Integration:

Information:

Good practice guidance has been published for care homes to refer to when undertaking medicines reconciliation.  The guidance also describes how to manage medicines relating to transfer of care for residents either new to the home or returning from other settings.  This will ensure they have the most accurate and up to date information regarding the resident’s medication regime. 

Introduction to the SEND Local Offer website

 The Local Offer website lets parents, young people and professionals know what special educational needs and disabilities services are available in Hertfordshire, and who can access them. There is so much more than that, too.

It covers:

  • Support within education settings
  • Health and social care services
  • Information for children in the early years (0 -5)
  • Information on preparing for adulthood (ages 16 – 25)
  • Information on Education, Health and Care Plans
  • Money advice
  • Find courses, support groups, inclusive activities and things to do
  • A resource area, where you can find expert practical activities and strategies to support a range of needs and challenges

A friendly face from the Local Offer team will take you through what’s on the website and how you can use it to find the right services and support.

You can save the below teams link to your calendar and use this to join your preferred session:

•    Tuesday 23 April, 11am – 12pm (for professionals): Join the meeting 
•    Wednesday 24 April, 2pm – 3pm (for professionals):  Join the meeting
•    Thursday 25 April, 8pm – 9pm (for parent carers and professionals):  Join the meeting

Community access to COVID-19 treatment from 1 April 2024 

The pathway for community access to COVID-19 treatment changed on 1 April 2024. 
Eligible patients reporting a positive test should be advised to call 111 urgently for an assessment for COVID-19 treatment. 

They will determine which treatment, if any, is suitable, and make any necessary arrangements for prescribing oral treatments for dispensing at a community pharmacy, or for a hospital referral if intravenous treatment is needed. Please do not refer patients to the Acute Trust CMDUs. 

Visit the Herts and West Essex ICB website for more information or email the Medicines Optimisation Team if you have any other queries. Thank you for your continued support.

National updates

New information for GPs on supporting patients with Long Covid

The charity Long Covid SOS has published a new leaflet endorsed by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) providing tips and advice for Long Covid diagnosis and symptom management.

Amitava Banerjee, Professor of Clinical Data Science and Honorary Consultant Cardiologist Institute of Health Informatics, University College London said: “This new, detailed yet accessible leaflet will be an important source of information and a great help to GPs who want informed, patient-led insights on how to support someone living with Long Covid, and to their patients who need to feel heard and cared for.”

Although much research has been carried out, many doctors are still uncertain how to treat Long Covid and patients are often given no medication, are misdiagnosed or worse, ignored completely.

New survey data from Long Covid SOS shows over half (55 per cent) of patients are unhappy with the care they’ve been provided by their GP. Only 14.4 per cent of respondents had a positive interaction with their GP, saying that their GP was knowledgeable about the condition, and discussed treatment options. However, the new information from the charity is intended to provide support to both patients and GPs. You can read a press release issued by the charity.

Local information – Hertfordshire wide

Beezee Bodies Programme

Following on from the success of previous rotations the Beezee Families programme will run across Hertfordshire from 22 April. The full details of the programme and timetables for each area in Hertfordshire covered are below:

Professionals_BZ_FAM_Summer_2024_TIMETABLE (796kB pdf)

Families to sign up to Beezee Bodies (757kB pdf)

Bishop's Stortford details (758kB pdf)

Borehamwood details (758kB pdf)

Hatfield details (757kB pdf)

Hemel Hempstead details (757kB pdf)

Potters Bar details (758kB pdf)

Stevenage details (759kB pdf)

Waltham Cross details (757kB pdf)

Watford details (757kB pdf)

West Herts Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust – new service to support newborn feeding

Find out more about a new service to support newborn feeding. Read the full press release from the Trust.

Local information – east and north Hertfordshire

None this week

Local information – south and west Hertfordshire

None this week

Local information – west Essex

None this week

Job vacancies

Vacancies 4 April 2024 (2MB docx)

Courses and training

For all courses visit the Hertfordshire and West Essex Training Hub.

Support

Useful links and contacts

Information:

If you have an URGENT out of hours concern, please call the ICB senior manager on call 0330 124 1725

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